no one remembers yesterday
by champion lyra
Summary: May moves to Hoenn, finally starts her Pokemon journey, and things spin wildly out of control. —StevenMay, HoennChampionShipping.
1. Prologue

**Notes**

I feel like crying, lmao. First off, happy anniversary Pokemon! I've got this all set up before the Pokemon Direct comes out, but I'm really excited for that too! Can't wait for gen 8! But really, I am so emotional over finally, _finally_, getting this first chapter out.

I started this fic for Nanowrimo in 2015.

I got to about 30k words before I lost inspo and had to start on something else to finish out the 50k.

I worked on it again in 2016, and again in 2017, until it was massive (110k+), and then didn't touch it until May 2018, where I finally went through, cut parts I didn't like, and began rewriting the entirety of the fic.

And now, in 2019, I can _finally_ say it's ready to be posted. So, yes, this fic has went through two complete rewrites to get here, haha. I've put a lot of love into this fic, so I really hope it comes through. My interpretation of May is very different from the usual takes, so I hope you like her. DaiHaru is a ship very dear to my heart, so I've put a lot of time and thought into how to portray them in a way that makes sense to me. Thanks so much for checking out this fic. It really means the world to me, and I'm excited to finally have this published. Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

Ever since she was a little girl, the world had always left a strange taste in her mouth. May Maple, for as long as she could remember, had always felt like something was off; like she had done all of this before. She had gotten pretty good at ignoring the way her throat feels like it's drying out, and her head spins in circles, these days. There are some days, however, where she finds it impossible to ignore.

The day her mother tells her that her father got a job as a Hoenn region Gym Leader is one of them.

"Isn't that great?" Her mother says with excitement, looking up at her daughter from the bed with happy eyes.

May closes her eyes and puts a hand to her forehead, hoping to cool the heat that just rushed there. Leaning against the doorway, feeling dizzy and out of it, she struggles to keep herself in check. Dealing with her mother is a pain, and May definitely didn't want her fussing over her right this second.

This feeling of déjà vu – if it could even be called that - is something May had lived with for her entire life. Doctors have said it's just something off going on with how her brain stores her memories, and while entirely normal, her case is just a bit… excessive. They've also told her that her headaches are normal and are likely just hormone related, but nothing they gave her has ever seemed to help. They had told her that's unfortunately normal, too, and one day she would learn to live with it.

True to their word, for the most part, May had learned to ignore the odd feelings she experiences, but the headaches? Not so much. They consume her whole being for a few moments, sometimes.

May hates the headaches more than anything else.

Unfortunately, her mother recognizes the signs immediately and tries to push herself out of bed to come to her daughter, with airy words of _we can talk about it later _and _you should get some rest_. Her mother manages an impressive sitting position, but May is already scrambling to stand a little straighter. Her mother being close to her is the last thing she wants, so May shakes her head and does her best to ignore the pain in her skull.

"Why are we moving?" May said instead, digging her nails into her palms to try and focus on something – anything – other than the headache.

Her mother's frown deepened, but she responded with almost as much enthusiasm as before; though May could easily tell how forced it was. "Hopefully next week!" She exclaimed, attempting a smile. "I hope this is okay with you. You're old enough to stay by yourself in Johto now, but we'd really like it if you came with us."

Rolling her eyes painfully, May instantly regrets the action. It was damn obvious that her parents wouldn't let her stay in Johto by herself, technically old enough or not. They would find a way to drag her to whatever region they fancied themselves in.

_Besides, _May thought, _not that it would change anything_. She'd still need a signature; if she even still cared enough.

"I'm going to start packing."

* * *

Hoenn.

Hoenn sounded amazing, like a dream come true; even more so than staying in a house without her obnoxious parents around. They had vacationed there once when May was little, before her father had decided Pokemon were more important than his own family, and it was one of her favorite memories still to this day. Even though they lived by the ocean in Olivine, her mother wanted to go to Slateport City, which was a beautiful seaside resort town in southern Hoenn.

The weather had been hot, almost too hot, and May _loved _it. Johto was too close to Sinnoh for her liking – and though there isn't constant snow like there is over there, the summers in Johto never really felt like summer to her. The one week they had spent in Hoenn there had been no clouds in the sky, the water had been clear and _sparkling_ and full of ocean life, and there was so much to do. There was a museum, a marketplace, a ship harbor, a contest hall…

Just thinking about all of it almost made her smile despite the pain still pounding in her skull. Part of her had always wanted to go back, and _moving _was a big step up from vacationing.

Closing the door to her room a little harder than absolutely necessary, May surveyed the small space. Maybe, she thought to herself, she could finally start her journey; though she quickly shot that down.

Always, ever since she could remember, May had wanted to travel with Pokemon. It was something she had gotten from her father, loathe as she was to admit; her love and adoration of the creatures they shared the planet with. Pokemon were incredible beings, able to do incredible things. Her soon to be a Gym Leader father was an experienced trainer, so May had grown up with Pokemon everywhere in her life – when she was too young to help her mother, he'd leave his Zigzagoon for May to play with, and Blissey to help around the house. But even though they were everywhere, May couldn't help but be amazed by the creatures.

But unlike every other child in the universe, May had never gotten to travel like she had longed to for her whole life. Flopping to her bed, she let the anger consume her momentarily, all pleasant thoughts of Hoenn flying out the window. Excited as she may be, the anger of never getting to leave like she was supposed to May knows is something she'll always hold with her. Her mother's sickness kept her tied to their house in Johto, and thanks to Team Rocket, the laws had changed: until you're eighteen years old, you need a parent's signature on your Trainer Card.

Of course, there were children who faked it – but May's father would've put a search warrant out in two seconds, flat.

In all honestly, May couldn't understand the laws no matter how hard she tried. Twelve year old kids can go out into the world on their own, and sixteen year olds can hold down a job and even have their own _place_. But if you're under eighteen, everything needs mommy and daddy's approval.

It drove her mad.

Rolling over on her bed, May looked up at the blank ceiling in her room. She wanted to drown out those depressing thoughts by thinking about all the things that could be different in Hoenn, or where they'd be moving to, exactly, but as soon as she pictured the perfect water and white sands, her headache came back with a vengeance.

Whimpering, she turned herself onto her side and pressed her face into a cold pillow. Maybe, she thought sourly, once she got out of Johto, these awful headaches would finally stop.

If only things were that easy.

* * *

After about an hour and a half of waiting around for her headache to go away, with no word or even a sound from her parents, May decided she should probably start packing. Forcing herself out of bed, she threw her hair into a tiny ponytail, and surveyed her room.

If she were to be blunt, May was not a neat person. In fact, she'd go as far as to say she's the exact _opposite_. Her laundry, clean or dirty, covered practically every inch of her hardwood floor; and her desk was littered with so much crap that it was unusable. Books, papers, writing utensils… if it had a name, it was probably on there somewhere. Stuffed animals in large piles sat next to her bed, and hanging off some of the larger toys were more clothes. The only thing that wasn't covered in something was her Wii U. No part of her wanted to bother dealing with this mess, wishing somehow it would just magically appear in boxes to no avail.

She took another look at everything, deciding that laundry was a good place to start. May begun to dig through her pile of junk she called a closet, and after a moment found what she was looking for – a large duffel bag she believed was an okay place to start – and tossed it with ease to the floor.

May sat herself down on the floor next to it, ready to force herself to get to work, when she heard a knock on the door. "What?" She snapped, already irritated at whoever it is.

"I'm coming in." Her father's deep baritone already has May's eyebrows narrowing.

He opened her door, standing in her doorway trying to make his presence look commanding. However, her father isn't the tallest man in the world, nor is May the least but afraid of him, so she stands up easily to meet his unspoken challenge.

Her eyebrows go from narrowed to raised in question, and his eyes flicked to the open, empty bag on the floor before finding her own again. "So you're coming with us, then," he asked, though his question sounded much more like a statement to May. There's nothing there, in his voice – no happiness or sadness, excitement or disappointment.

There were few things May hated more than this side of her father.

A few years ago, maybe, her father would've cracked a smile and scolded her for such a joke. If her mother had been there, she would've laughed like crazy, for if she had cared to know her daughter at all, she would've known how uninterested in romance she had always been. A few years ago, May would've likely said the same line with a lot less venom and bite and a lot more humor.

A few years ago, it wouldn't have been said to piss her father off.

Instead of a smile, May's angry frown is met with a scowl from her father. She almost wished he'd say something to set her off; _wants_ to release the anger that's constantly building, but instead he doesn't even dignify his daughter with a reply, and May is left to simmer in her own emotions once more. She can hear him sigh as he made his way over towards the bedroom he's supposed to share with his wife.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," May calls out, unable to hold her tongue, "it's only been a month after all." Again, she's met with no response.

Slowly, she walked over to her door, slamming it shut this time. Sinking down to the floor, part of her hates that things have turned out like this.

May doesn't _really _hate them – she just has no one else to blame. Her father hadn't been very present in her life since she was a little girl. The last time she even remembered having a family dinner on the weekly was almost a full decade ago, when she was six or seven. Then he decided Pokemon were far more important than his own family, and he begun to pour all of his time, energy, and care into becoming stronger. Her mother had been devastated, and her already failing health had taken a turn for the worse.

When May turned twelve, she expected to go on a trip to New Bark Town to get her starter Pokemon and begin her journey, that both of her parents and everyone else she'd ever met, practically, had been on. A week before, she had even tried talking to her mother about it; her mother however had met her enthusiasm with a nervous look and told her she'd talk to her father about it later. At the time, May had been young and naïve, and hopelessly optimistic, expecting her to be planning something special like gifting her first Pokemon to her instead.

Optimism turned into disappointment which quickly turned to rage. They told her she had to stay at home and look after her sick mother, and she didn't understand then, and she didn't understand _now_. Blissey could've easily stayed with her mother full time. They could've even afforded a live in nurse, with her father's salary. It's not like they were poor. There were so many different options that didn't include May sitting around and wasting away; watching as her class dwindled down to just her and one other student, until May herself finally stopped going entirely out of embarrassment.

At first, she hadn't blamed either of her parents. Her father was chasing his dreams, her mother's sickness was certainly not her fault, but the anger just grew and grew until it was all consuming. Without an outlet, May had nowhere else for it to go.

Then, it was only her father. If he had been around, if he had only cared about her or her mother, he would be there no questions asked. He started showing up at the house less and less, and finally, in May's mind, it didn't make sense to blame him anymore. Staying angry at someone you saw so infrequently wasn't easy when there was someone else around to take it instead.

May's rage finally turned to her mother – if she wasn't so sick or selfish, May had reasoned with herself, she could've went. She could be chasing her dream, too. Why should her father get to be the only one in the family? It didn't seem fair to her then, and it still didn't.

Having thought about it so much over the years, her anger continued to grow. She didn't help out around the house, either staying locked up in her room or she leaves the house to wander around Olivine.

But none of it mattered. They'd all be moving to Hoenn soon, and her father would have a job as a Gym Leader, which meant he'd be around even less if that was possible. And as for May?

She wondered briefly if the laws in Hoenn were different. Maybe she would finally be able to start her journey, like she'd wanted for so long.

She almost snorted at the thought. _Yeah, right_.

* * *

It hadn't even been a week since her mother announced they were moving, but May had been an anxious mess since. She was packing like crazy, unpacking and repacking, all the while avoiding her father like the plague. It was just like him to remember, suddenly, that he had a family and a house when May was feeling this anxious. Her mother was, of course, disappointed, but that was nothing new to her.

Today, however, they had actually left Johto; and had arrived in one of Hoenn's three airports, this one being in Mauville. It was a city north of Slateport, the only place in the region May was somewhat familiar with, and it seemed… nice, she supposed. The entire city was built into itself, apparently after a giant renovation that had happened a few years back. In the middle of the city was a huge statue of Kalos' Prism Tower, which May did think was pretty cool.

It was just May and her mother, as her father had come to settle himself into his new position the day before. May had rolled her eyes when he'd told them, completely unsurprised by that. Though he'd lended them a few of his Pokemon to help them move out, it had pissed her off all the same.

Between the weather, and the fact that everything was _new, _May almost thought she was in heaven.

But, of course, she and her mother quickly ran into a problem that snapped her out of her momentary peace: her mother wanted May to ride the entire three hour long car ride to Littleroot Town sitting next to her.

"Honey, please, it will be so much easier-"

"Do not call me honey!" May snapped, crossing her arms over herself tightly and turning away. "And no. I'll ride with the luggage, and that's final."

May stormed into the truck, feeling like a brat. She had no idea how handle these bursts of anger, though. She'd never been good at bottling her emotions up; when she was feeling something, it just came out. If she tried, sometimes she could take a minute before blowing up, but usually didn't even bother trying when it came to her parents. It was too difficult to stop, and it's not like she cared about upsetting them in the moment.

Her mother, of course, was predictably too tired to do anything else about May's behavior, and just let her climb into the back of the truck without further complaint. May sat down in between some boxes and tried her best to get comfortable on the metal floor. It wasn't going to be the most comfortable ride of her life, she was sure, but at least it was going to her new home – and at least she would be alone for a bit. After the airplane ride from Johto to Hoenn, she was desperate for some time away from her mother, and was looking forward to it despite the comfort level.

Until, a few minutes into the ride, she got a horrid headache.

Her mouth felt like it had been sucked dry, head felt hot and fuzzy, and she could see her vision spinning out in front of her. May snapped her eyes shut quickly on instinct, already curling up into a ball. These were the worst headaches, the ones where she couldn't let go of the fact that she had _done this before_, been there before, gone through all of this at least _once_ already.

Pictures kept appearing before her closed eyes: herself, wearing a red shirt, a white skirt, and biking shorts underneath; a red bandana sitting on top of her head, instead of in a bow like she had on now. She was in the back of the truck, but she was smiling, and laughing to herself.

Arms wrapped around her legs – her own, she vaguely realized – in an effort to keep herself still and minimize the pain from the splitting headache. This had never happened to her before, not like this. She'd never had _images _of anything. Never had the pain been this strong, and never had the feeling overwhelmed her so completely.

May didn't put too much thought into it, though. First priority had always been to get the headache to _stop_. Slowly, she removed one arm from its position over her knees and took out her PokeNav+, turning on the GPS app.

She wasn't sure how long she watched the little icon move itself. It must've been a long time, though, because they were just about to arrive in Odale Town, located right above Littleroot now. Her headache had finally faded, those weird images of herself in different clothing gone with it.

Trying to think of what the doctors had said about these weird bouts, May kept her eyes trained on the icon on her PokeNav+ as the truck continued through the small town. Anxiety, she remembered them saying. It was probably anxiety that she was suffering from, and that's what was causing her to feel like she'd done all this before. She'd probably worn clothes just like the ones she was wearing, she told herself, in a failing effort to convince herself this wasn't _strange_. She probably wore them a few years ago, when she was eleven or twelve. They had looked like travel clothes – she'd probably been pretending to be a traveling trainer. She'd always liked reds and oranges, and she even owned a red bandana, May reminded herself. She was literally wearing it right now, just in a different manner.

_Yes_, she breathed to herself. Everything was fine, she was just anxious.

May continued to stare at her PokeNav+ for the rest of the ride. Soon, she thought, she would be at her new prison – her new home.

* * *

**Notes**

Despite it being a Wednesday, updates will be every **Sunday**, which means y'all get chapter one on **March 3rd**! See you then!


	2. Chapter One - Granite Cave

**Notes**

Hello, happy Sunday! Thank you all to everyone who checked out this fic! It means so much to me to see people interested in this, haha. Hopefully I don't disappoint!

A couple of notes about this chapter (and all the following ones), before we start:  
Small time skips happen. Each chapter title will clue you in on the setting/time! They're not too major at all, since the plot overall follows ORAS.  
From here on, chapter lengths will vary wildly. Some fall in the 4k range, like this one, but others will be much, much longer, depending. Please don't expect a regular chapter length from me, lmao.

And that's really all. Hope y'all enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter One: Granite Cave**

When she'd first arrived in Hoenn, May hadn't been expecting anything at all. A new home to be confined to, a new region to desperately wish she could travel across; camping out and taking on the Gym Leaders of the region without a care in the world.

What had happened was completely different.

Her neighbor, a famous Pokemon Professor, to demand that she take the Torchic she had saved him with and become a trainer. Her father had been furious when he found out – had tried calling her multiple times; something that hadn't happened in years. Her mother hadn't known what to make of it at all, frowning the whole way through.

May had dutifully ignored them both, and refused to take no for an answer. The laws, what do you know, were different in Hoenn – a legal adult here was sixteen, and with the blessing of her neighbor, she was quickly pushed onto her journey, and hadn't at all had the chance to slow down. Neither May nor her Pokemon had taken a minute for a break, too caught up in the need to _move_, to _be outside_ and _free_. Long ago she had given up dreaming about being on a journey with her very own Pokemon, and yet…

_My Pokemon_. May still couldn't get over that. Nova, her starter Pokemon, was still as amazing as the first time she had laid eyes on him. He'd evolved now, to her disbelief – she obviously knew Pokemon evolved, but to see it happen in front of her, _because of her_… It was something magical. He was also, unfortunately, growing more sarcastic by the day; she figured she only had herself to blame for that.

As it had turned out, once she had become a Hoenn resident, she legally became an adult – her parents couldn't say a thing about her finally getting her Trainer's license. The last she had seen her mother, she was angry and unsurprisingly disappointed in May, though she wasn't sure what her mother had been expecting. They had kept her cooped up to herself for almost six full years, with the only explanation offered being that someone needed to be home for her mother. She had grown so depressed she had even stopped leaving the house, and they had still expected her to play nice and take care of her mother when she longer had to?

May could never, and would never understand why her own mother held her _daughter_ accountable for her sickness, but never her own damn husband.

It had been almost two months since then, and two months since May had seen or heard from her parents. The more time passed, the easier May felt it was to let go of all the things they had done to her, kept her from – almost. She felt free; freer than she ever had. It was no wonder, with the ability to go wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted, with nobody around to tell her what to do. There were no more fights about irrelevant things, no more negligent fathers or being too tired to deal with her mother. It was just May, her Pokemon, and the entire region of Hoenn at her fingertips.

One of the only things that concerned May at this point were her _episodes_. Ever since she'd arrived in Hoenn, they had been getting worse. It seemed like every little thing set them off – walking into a new town for the first time, talking to someone, even dealing with those Team Aqua brats left May curled up in a ball on the ground after the adrenaline had worn off, leading her to keep Nova out of his PokeBall at all times. Besides the newly increased frequency, they only seemed to be getting more painful.

It wasn't just flashes of images, anymore. Sometimes it was voices. Sometimes it was full on scenes, that May couldn't for the life of her get a grip on after the episode had passed. None of it made any sense. Doctors had said stress was a likely factor, but she couldn't see the connection – there was nothing to be stressed about, for once, so shouldn't they have stopped?

Shaking herself out of that train of thought, May tried to compose herself. She had just beaten the Gym Leader here at Dewford Town, and she should be feeling great, not sorry for herself. She was _done _with the pity party she'd been throwing herself for the last six years.

May smiled to herself, flexing out her fingers before curling them into a fist. "Come on, Nova," she said, confidence slowly rising. "Let's go find this Steven guy and get back to the mainland."

Finally, she was free.

* * *

Standing outside Granite Cave, May looked at the entrance with a scowl on her face. This whole _find Steven _thing was proving to be more obnoxious than she had hoped for. She had been hoping to get back to the mainland sooner rather than later, but somehow she was being forced to play delivery girl for a certain CEO.

She wouldn't lie to herself and say that he didn't seem like a nice guy, but that's how they always seemed at first. She had disliked authority for so long, thanks to her father. Unfortunately, she had let herself be roped into doing this – not like she had even been able to get a word in edge-wise against him, anyway, since he had updated her PokeNav+ without even asking – and even though it wasn't a bad idea to be on the good side of such a large company, May couldn't help but feel a little off about it.

_Especially_ since this was taking so long.

Sighing, May looked at the entrance to the cave with a forlorn gaze. _Might as well get this over with, _she thought to herself, taking her first step inside. She didn't even have any idea who _Steven _could be, anyways. Despite having lived in Hoenn for two months now, May still wasn't familiar with… well, anything, really. She didn't pay much attention to the news, and didn't bother looking up any info on the League in the region. In Johto, everyone knew everything about the League, and she felt like it gave a major advantage to the Trainers. Obviously, May would ask what kind of Pokemon she'd be going up against before taking on a challenge, but she thought it was kind of fun being out of the loop.

Nova, still clumsily getting used to his new form as a Combusken, trailed behind his Trainer into the cave, looking extremely focused on walking. May had already offered to give him some time to rest up in his PokeBall, but he had insisted on getting used to walking around. Probably, May had assumed, her Pokemon thought that he wouldn't do her any good in battle if he couldn't walk right; though May thought he was being overdramatic. Once the adrenaline – if Pokemon even _had _adrenaline – kicked in, it was like he had always been a Combusken.

He already knew she wouldn't wait up for him, and seemed perfectly okay with that.

Walking down the hall of the cave, she squinted her eyes as she looked around. It was dark, unsurprisingly, but it looked like the cave went up in certain areas. It was kind of weird. May frowned, trudging on. She was here to deliver the letter, and deliver the letter was all she was going to do. Spending her time in a cave was not her idea of a party, and add to it the fact that it was a favor for someone she didn't even know… Well, this wasn't exactly making her list of the fun things she'd done since she began traveling.

Plus, she shivered, looking around at the walls, she felt a little claustrophobic in here. If she had an episode here, where would she even go? Nowhere was far out of the way of people and Pokemon.

Her eyes landed on stairs going down after a moment of searching; a hiker standing around and checking his gear by them. She opened her mouth to ask if he was Steven, but decided against it – she highly doubted some common hiker would be someone the CEO of Devon Corp wanted to associate with so personally.

May was beginning to regret not just handing this over to Brawly when she had the chance. The main reason she hadn't was curiosity; May had no other information on the guy besides his first name, and that he'd be in this cave. Brawly seemed to know him fairly well, though, which had piqued her interest. As nice and friendly as Brawly was, the fact that he hadn't been willing to cough up information on Steven had drove her crazy, leading her down this rabbit hole further.

Do _one _nice thing for _one _CEO, and suddenly she's their delivery girl, and the Gym Leader won't even help her out. _Stupid_.

_And,_ May wondered to herself, eyeing the walls of the cave, _what the hell was a businessman doing in a musky, gross cave like this? _Hoenn, she had noticed, was very different from Johto.

She walked down the stairs, checking over her shoulder to make sure Nova was on her heels, and was greeted by a large opening. Looking around the room, she was kind of amazed. She had never really been a fan of caves – the ocean was always more her thing – but this was beautiful, much to May's surprise.

There was a mural on the wall, depicting what looked to be some kind of legendary Pokemon. She didn't recognize them, having never particularly cared about history, but the one on the right looked familiar to her, almost. She'd heard that some people find solace in legendary Pokemon; it's why there were religions based entirely around Mew and Arceus, for instance. Apparently it wasn't an uncommon feeling, but May wasn't sure it was supposed to be this _strong_. It was like a pulling, directly on her heart; a longing for something that was no longer there.

If she felt this every time she looked at a certain Pokemon, anyone could probably make a convert out of her. She had heard people say that they felt a _warmth_ when looking at certain legendaries, but she had never understood how powerful it was. It felt like her whole being was completely overwhelmed, almost like her episodes as of late. This felt almost eerily similar to the start of those episodes – just much, much more pleasant.

May struggled to get a hold of herself, literally giving herself a quick shake to try and wake herself up. She had a job to do, she reminded herself, and she wanted it to be over with already. _You hate caves_, she reminded herself, _and you are sick of being the delivery girl. _

With her thoughts fully shaking her out of her stupor, May walked up another staircase, feeling for Nova as she did so, and stopped short of almost running into a man.

_This has to be Steven_, she thought.

When May had been told to deliver this letter, she had expected it to be some older businessman – not some ridiculously attractive guy hanging out in a cave. He couldn't have been more than thirty, _if_ that, May thought. His white hair wasn't off-putting in the slightest, and though she hadn't seen his face yet, she could hope. He was even wearing a suit, which fit him perfectly. What was someone this young doing with Devon, she wondered. Was he some kind of genius?

Shaking herself again, she forced herself out of her own head. What was she _doing_? He was likely some bigwig for the biggest company in the entire region of Hoenn. May reminded herself of her father, to fully get herself out of her reverie. She didn't like people like him; didn't like people in _general_. Clearly, the cave was making her going a little crazy. So was the mural on the wall.

May opened her mouth to introduce herself, but the man cut her off without even turning around. She wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't even noticed her yet.

"So in the ancient world, their primal forms once held this much power? The super-ancient Pokemon… what terrible strength… but this appearance here, it seems somehow different from Mega Evolution. Hmm," he paused, shaking his head. "It seems my questions will not be answered today."

He had a nice voice, was May's first thought. It was a bit gravelly, like he didn't use it often enough, but it had its own, odd charm. She didn't really understand most of what he had been saying – Mega Evolution she knew of from school, but ancient Pokemon? – but she found herself taking in every word, regardless.

Once he had finished speaking to himself, it took her a few moments to get herself together. She cleared her throat, trying to remind herself that she'd be out of this cave and back to doing what _she _wanted to do soon enough. From behind her, May could've sworn she heard Nova bite back a chuckle. He already knew his Trainer too well, clearly.

The man turned around, startled by the noise; but when his eyes met her own, he gave her a slow and easy smile. May's face felt warm almost instantly, and she glared at him as if protesting her own body. Oddly enough, he didn't even seem phased.

"And you are?" He asked her, light blue eyes sparkling in the dim light of the cave.

"May," she said, feeling a bit awkward under his gaze. She was trying _so_ hard to look fed up, but she doubted it was coming across that way. Her voice was much more garbled then she had intended, and she almost wanted to kick herself for it. What had been a maybe chuckle from Nova had turned into a full on snicker behind her, and her eyes narrowed even further. _Traitor_.

"Ah, I see. It's a pleasure, May," he said, warm smile not leaving his face.

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, and she willed herself to keep up her glare. How could he smile like that, she wondered, when she was trying to be rude? _Stupid, stupid, stupid_. Forcing herself to think other things, she reminded herself that he worked for Devon; that he was just some weird guy who wore a suit in a cave.

"My apologies," he continued, when he realized she wasn't keen on talking yet. "My name is Steven." That, at least, confirmed what May had already figured out. In the back of her mind, she wondered again how he was connected to the Devon CEO. He definitely looked the part with how he dressed, but she couldn't shake the thought that he looked so _young_.

Vaguely, she wondered if he had once been in a position similar to her own – helping out the Devon CEO when he was a Trainer, or something.

"I'm interested in rare stones, so I travel here and there," he continued again, and May snorted. _What a nerd_. He rolled his eyes, but to his credit, didn't make a comment. "Today my journey brought me here, but what about you?"

Using this as her opening, May pushed the letter into his hands. "I'm playing delivery girl today," she told him, rolling her own eyes."

"Oh?" He peered down at the paper. "A letter for me?" Even his movements were graceful, she thought, watching him bring the letter up to eye level to inspect it. "Thank you. It must've been some trouble to track me down."

May's eyes narrowed at him again, wanting to groan out loud. She stopped herself, not wanting to seem childish, and instead said, "You could say that. Who hangs out in caves, anyway?"

In response, he gave her a knowing smile; yet he didn't make a comment on that, either. It shouldn't have, but it aggravated her in a way she hadn't expected. "I suppose I must repay you in some way. Let me see," he paused, kneeling down to look through his bag. She hadn't even noticed the small black sack, neatly lying on the floor of the cave next to his feet.

Tapping her foot on the ground, May was growing impatient. "Look, I appreciate the thought, really, but I have to –"

Ignoring her completely, he stood back up. "I will give you this TM," he said, interrupting her again. "Please accept it. It contains my favorite move, Steel Wing."

Eyeing him warily, and careful not to make contact with his hands, May accepted the disc, and moved to put it in her own bag. "Thanks, I guess." It seemed a little much – his favorite move? – for the job she had done, but May wasn't the type to say no to free.

She supposed it was nice of him, even if he did seem a little off. Turning around to leave, her job finally done and eager to get out of there, he called out to her, stopping her in her tracks.

"May, if you don't mind me asking," he said, and May sighed, turning back around to face him and the mural once again. "Do you feel anything in particular when you look up at this wall?"

Freezing for a second, her face quickly morphed into a scowl. How could he have possibly known that? The feeling she had gotten, staring at that Pokemon… that couldn't have been the normal feeling people talked about, she didn't think. Nobody had ever described it like that; like that longing that she couldn't place. It was always 'warm and light', not… _bittersweet_.

Her lack of response and obvious discomfort with the question must've been enough for Steven, because he continued on, not bothering to wait for an answer from her. He seemed to do that a lot, May had noticed from the few minutes she'd spent with him. In general, he was proving to be much more irritating than she had expected when she first laid eyes on him, just a few minutes before.

"A primal world, lost thousands of years in the past… A legendary Pokemon of tremendous power became humanity's greatest threat," he told her, voice sad, almost. No, not sad – it was filled with a similar longing that she had felt. "The terror aroused by that power is clear to see in this ancient artwork."

She wasn't sure of the myth he was talking about, but May did take a moment to look at the mural a little closer. On it, she could see what he meant; the Pokemon it depicted looked angry, and it definitely was reminiscent of some sort of natural disaster. He must've known a lot about the myths here, she guessed. The Pokemon on the left looked so angry, but the one on the right… May knew, logically, it was also supposed to be angry, but all she could feel was sadness. It was uncomfortable to look at it for too long, almost – the feeling sent an odd shiver down her spine.

"That's terrible," May slowly replied, mouth suddenly feeling very, very dry. And it was: the idea of two legendary Pokemon destroying an entire civilization was, certainly, terrible. But all she could focus on was how sad that Pokemon appeared to her; the longing in the put of her stomach growing deeper and deeper, threatening to consume her whole.

Steven turned back around to face her, meeting her gaze with ease. "Yes," he said, "but not all power is terrible." His eyes were much more intense than May had been expecting, and she had to will herself not to take a step away from him.

_Who is he? _He was so hard to get a read on. One minute, he was kind and polite; the next, he was like this – so intense that it became hard for May to think.

His stare got less intense as the seconds passed, and soon she found him looking normal again. Her face warmed at his lighter stare, much to May's chagrin, and he smiled again; not seeming strained at all despite what he looked like moments before.

"Your Pokemon are clearly quite capable as well," he continued, nodding towards Nova, who puffed his chest out in pride.

It was hard to stay angry and be rude to someone this pretty complimenting her Pokemon, she thought as her lips turned upwards into a small smile. They had trained hard together, and she was always glad to get the recognition they deserved. Plus, she thought, he didn't seem anything like what May had been expecting. Despite the fact that he was someone who went into caves in suits, and possibly working for Devon, Steven seemed to be kind, and as much as she hated to admit it, kind of charming. Definitely weird, but kind of charming.

"Looking at you together," Steven said after a moment, "I think you have what it takes to become a League Champion."

Her blush reached the roots of her hair, and she instantly looked away from his face. He didn't even _know_ her. He had no idea how many badges she had, or who she was, or what she was like at all, really. "Who goes around saying that kind of stuff?" She questioned, voice hot and angry to cover her embarrassment.

"As long as you keep training, that is," he said with a laugh, ignoring her question entirely.

Glaring at him once again, Steven laughed more, and May decided she didn't like him at all – even _if _he was oddly kind and charming. It shouldn't matter, really, since she knew she'd likely never see him again, but it bothered her to feel so out of control like this. She didn't like not being in control of a situation, and being around him made her feel like the floor had been swept right out from under her feet. She had spent _far _too much of her life feeling like that, and had absolutely zero interest in going back. She opened her mouth to retort, but he raised his hand instead.

"Good luck to you," Steven smiled at her again. "I must be going now." Without even waiting for May to say anything in return, he walked right past her and her Pokemon, his arm brushing her shoulder lightly on his way. Sucking in a breath, she held it until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore.

Once she was sure he was gone, May let out a loud scream into her hands. Nova jumped in surprise, but made no move to try and shush her. He was used to her by now, despite it only having been two months since they'd become partners. Her scream bounced off the walls right back at her, and it almost felt like the mural was laughing in her face. Her scowl deepened.

"What a stupid, stupid boy!" She shouted to herself, like it was somehow a decent insult. "How infuriating! Who talks like that, or dresses in a suit while they go around in a cave?" She sank down to her knees, aggravated with both herself and him.

Complimenting her like that, and giving her a TM which she knew could be difficult to come by, and extremely expensive in a lot of cases… _Ugh_, she thought. He was too nice – and far, far too pretty – to truly hate, which made everything even more aggravating for her. Part of May wished that would have the chance to see him again, even if he annoyed her.

She realized, belatedly, that she never did ask how he knew Mr. Stone, either. She guessed she'd have to see him again to find out.

Taking a few deep breaths to try and calm herself, she stood back up on her feet, throwing a small smile to Nova, who squawked at her like she was crazy. May rolled her eyes, and made her way to the stairs once again.

"Let's go, Nova. We've got a boat to catch."

And with that, she walked out of the cave; without so much at one more glance at the weird mural. She didn't want to think about that right now. She had so much time to do whatever she wanted – and what she wanted now was to get on with her challenge and find the next Gym as soon as possible.

She couldn't help but feel, though, as she walked out of Granite cave and back into the bright sunshine of Dewford that something was missing. Before getting on the boat back to Hoenn's mainland, she checked her bag, checked her pockets, checked everything; but nothing seemed to be out of place or missing. There was that nagging feeling, though, that she couldn't shake. Even as she and Nova stepped onto the boat, eager to get out of Dewford.

She supposed she'd figure it out later.

* * *

**Notes**

Thanks as always for reading! Chapter two will be coming your way on **March 10th**! See you then!


	3. Chapter Two - Southern Island

**Notes**

Hey, happy Sunday, and sorry this chapter is so long! I was originally going to have these be separate chapters, but I felt like despite the length, it read better as one. Thank you, as always, to everyone who has been reading and enjoying this so far! I really appreciate every single person who checks this out, even if you guys don't review or anything. As I said in the first chapter, this story means a lot to me, so the fact that you guys are enjoying it makes me so happy!

Anyways, hope you guys enjoy. Thanks again for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Southern Island**

It felt like ever since she had laid her eyes on that mural, May's dreams and headaches had only grown stronger. It was terrible – where she was supposed to be enjoying finally getting to traverse with her Pokemon, she was constantly on the lookout for spaces where she could rest and take breaks, much more frequently than those around her. Nova still refused to go inside his PokeBall unless there was another Pokemon out with her, always wanting to make sure his trainer was alright; and while May appreciated that, it wasn't exactly common, and almost made her feel on edge while she walked through the various cities of Hoenn. She had gathered various badges at this point, had even fought her _father_, but the paranoia that she'd have to stop traveling wouldn't leave her mind.

Walking from Mauville hadn't been so bad, though, at least so far. Fortree was where May had set her sights on next; however, she didn't think there was a good place to stop on the way from where she was – which meant, unfortunately, another uncomfortable night of camping and loud, curious Pokemon. Her Mightyena, Yena, loved it – if May had to guess, it probably reminded her of where she came from, before she'd been captured. It made her feel a little bad, if she were to be honest with herself, but it wasn't anything that she couldn't deal with. Yena had taken to her quite well, which was all that really mattered, May supposed.

And the route she was on was beautiful, as well. She could smell the ocean strongly from where she was – practically at the shore. No matter where you went in Hoenn, the reminiscent smell of the sea always followed. It was something May really liked about being in Hoenn, though there was nothing quite like being right on the edge of the sea. The salt was heavy, the wind blew freely, and Yena was right at her side, wagging her tail like a puppy. Things were easy, for the time being, and May appreciated the respite.

Of course, however, as soon as May began to relax even the slightest bit, she came upon a familiar face.

_Of course_, she thought to herself. Beautiful, silvery hair; a fancy suit despite her impression that he was some kind of cave dweller… There was no doubt in May's mind, that that was Steven.

_How annoying_. After her last encounter with him, there had been a part of her – and annoying _large _part of her – that had wished she could see him again, despite the unlikeliness of it. Upon laying eyes on him again, however, May was beginning to regret that wish. Turning around to head the opposite way, she almost missed Yena taking off to say hello to the man, and swore to herself.

She trudged after her Pokemon with much less enthusiasm. Yena hadn't even been out of her PokeBall when May had met Steven before, which made this whole situation even more irritating. She picked up her pace before her extremely excitable Mightyena could make a fool of herself and her Trainer, holding back a groan the whole jog over.

"Hey, Yena!" May called, making her way over. "Come back here, it's not nice to pounce on strangers!" Her jog turned into a full sprint for moment, making sure to get a hold of her Pokemon before she actually had the chance to jump on him.

She halted in her tracks, which May appreciated, looking over her shoulder with guilty eyes. Giving her Pokemon a quick pat on the head to let her know it was alright, she looked up to meet Steven's – stupidly – pretty eyes.

"Why, hello," he said, giving her a small smile. "We met in Granite Cave, didn't we?" May opened her mouth to answer, slightly offended that he'd forgotten, but he continued before she got the chance. "No, I remember. It's May," he paused for a moment, smile growing wider as he remembered. "Right?"

It took all of her willpower not to outright scowl at him. "Yes. Hello," she punctuated, not interesting in playing nice with him now that she had no reason to be.

She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much that he'd nearly forgotten her, but the irritation had bubbled up whether or not she understood it. Maybe she would've been less offended if he hadn't been on her mind so much for the last few weeks, though she doubted it. It had been such a short interaction – really, maybe about ten minutes of meeting – but their meeting in the cave had stood out to May so much; between the vivid thoughts of the mural and Steven as a whole.

She'd dreamt about it plenty – both Steven, and something she was sure she could've only gathered from what he'd said about the mural.

Dreams involving heavy storms, dark skies, and quick goodbyes late into the night; somewhere out on the ocean.

_Drop it_, May reminded herself, shaking herself out of her thoughts. It wasn't the time nor the place to be thinking about that, and she needed to get moving. There was no point in sticking around when she was on her way somewhere, after all. _Plus_, a less rational part of her thought, she had no intention of embarrassing herself any further by spacing out more in front of Steven.

"It's, uh, nice to see you again?" Instead of friendly and maybe a little awkward, it came out sounding more like a drowned Rattata when she spoke. She inched away slowly as she did so, hoping he'd get the hint and let her go quickly.

"It's good to see your journey is going well," he told her, nodding towards her almost full belt.

She had been doing a lot of work, catching wise. It wasn't like she knew exactly what Pokemon she wanted, or anything like that – May preferred to let it happen naturally, but she supposed she might be going faster than other Trainers. There was also that girl at the Slateport City Pokemon Center, who had given her the bright red PokeBall containing an oddly colored Beldum, too. She had tried to refuse it, but the woman at the center insisted, saying that it was for her.

"Yeah, you could say that," she said, holding back a sigh as she gave up on this encounter going quickly. It wasn't that she had given up, though, she tried to convince herself.

"You know, May," he looked her over, nodding towards her Mightyena; who stood calmly at her side, tail wagging ever so slightly. "In this vast world, there are many kinds of Pokemon. They come in many different types. Should you raise different types?" He asked, a hand moving to his chin in thought. "Or will you only raise Pokemon of a certain type you like? I wonder what you think, as a Pokemon Trainer."

Ignoring the way her heartbeat got louder, May thought about his words, but found she couldn't come up with an answer for him. Some people would say that you should have a balanced, strong team – one of all different types, which could cover each other's weaknesses. But there were so many Trainer that could do that with only one or two types, as well: Gym Leaders being a very obvious example of such. Even from what she remembered from her time at school, there were Dragon Tamers, Ghost specialists, and eve Fairy-type Trainers existed; though May didn't know how popular that was in Hoenn. Training only one type of Pokemon didn't make one any less strong than another Trainer; but there was merit to having a well-rounded team as well.

If May were honest with herself, the most important thing in her mind was the bond you had with your Pokemon. If you were raising a Pokemon for the sake of its typing, that was sad for both the Trainer and the Pokemon.

Subconsciously, May scratched Yena on the head as she thought this out. _Was _there a right or a wrong way to choose Pokemon for a team? She wasn't sure.

Realizing that she'd been silent for too long, Steven continued on after a moment before she could come up with anything to tell him. "Not that it's anything I should be concerning myself with," he chuckled, "but I somehow find myself wanting to know what you think." The way he talked, just like when they met at Granite Cave, it almost felt like he was talking to himself; like these were private thoughts he didn't mean for the world to pick up on.

Hearing that, though, May couldn't fight the small blush that spread across her cheeks.

Wanting to know what she thought? Nobody was ever this interested in her, not even that weird kid that lived next door to her new residence in Littleroot – Brendan, she believed his name was. It was flattering, but something about it almost felt familiar to May.

Nodding mutely, she wasn't really sure what to say to that without making a total fool of herself. She really shouldn't care, with how often she did crass or stupid things on her journey, but a part of her didn't want to ruin the moment. For once, she let that part control her without thinking too much about what it meant.

He moved his gaze from Yena back to May, their eyes meeting easily. Just like before, she felt herself flush hotter. It was ridiculous. It almost felt like he was staring straight through her, right then, and it reminded her of dreams – where they would stand there, wind whipping the ocean water around them into their faces; their hands connected as they stood on a shallow island of sand in the middle of that endless, endless ocean…

May physically shook her head this time, tufts of her hair hitting her in the face as she did so. Steven thinking she was weird, or maybe a bit rude was a better alternative than getting completely encased in her dreams. If she were being honest, he probably had a terrible opinion of her _anyway_. How could he not, really, with how she had acted both at Granite Cave and today?

"I think," May spoke up, startling him, "trainers should do whatever they'd like. I think you can be strong no matter what kind of team you choose to raise." It was a good answer, she felt, and it was a good way to get her mind off of that endless, rainy ocean that kept appearing in her dreams.

For a quick second, Steven looked as if she had slapped him in the face instead of speaking, but quickly schooled his features once again. She knew, just by looking at him, that it wasn't _what _she had said that had startled him – while not nearly as easy to read as her mother's, she could tell he had also been deep in thought before she had spoken up.

"I suppose I should be going," he said, completely and totally ignoring her. "I hope to see you again, though."

"What?" May had only meant to think it, but it rushed out past her lips before she got the chance to stop it.

It was so sudden, just like the first time she'd met him. Part of her wondered why – especially with how it seemed he'd been snapped out of a trance, just as she had been, before declaring he would be on his way. She didn't _dare_ think it had anything to do with the weird feelings she'd been having, despite everything. Those dreams – the desperation she felt in them – were likely hers and hers alone; nobody else's to struggle with. The likelihood of them actually meaning _anything_ was so low, regardless.

He turned to leave, but stopped himself short, eyes growing wide as saucers and jaw flying open.

It was the first time May had seen him look so human. Sure, she'd only met him the one time before this, but he had looked and felt so… untouchable, to her. She couldn't see what he was gaping at, could barely even see him gaping at the angle they were in, but nonetheless he looked normal, to her. In that instance, May felt more at ease then she'd felt the entire rest of the conversation – if you could even call whatever their interaction had been a _conversation_. It was like a weight had finally been removed from her shoulders.

It was also, however, the perfect distraction from why she had felt so strongly about his sudden leave.

After sitting in her own head for what was probably far too long, May slowly moved to see what he was staring open mouthed at, only to have her own jaw drop practically to the ground.

"Latios?!"

No. No, May couldn't believe what she was seeing. Blinking owlishly, May tried to dissipate the Pokemon staring at them; floating calmly at head level. There was just… no way. There weren't many myths from Hoenn that she was familiar with, but she had loved the legends surrounding the twin dragon Pokemon while she had been in school. The protectors of the land, her teacher had called them; and May had always thought they were beautiful, in the drawings she'd seen.

So it wasn't her fault, really. She couldn't help it. She screamed.

Steven and Latios both jumped – in a similar matter, she thought to herself vaguely somewhere in the back of her mind – and Yena was immediately alter, instead of staring silently at the blue, feathered dragon. May stumbled backwards in shock, and Nova forced himself out of his PokeBall to catch his Trainer; his new height as a Blaziken giving him quite the advantage over Yena's smaller, less sturdy body.

Once Nova had steadied her, she apologized quietly to both Steven and the Pokemon in front of her. Looking down, her face as red – and as warm – as Nova's feathers, May was completely mortified that she had screamed like that. The shock had just been… too much.

As she slowly raised her head, she snuck a glance at Steven to find a surprisingly serene smile on his face while he looked at her. He glanced away as soon as he noticed her own staring, but she was reminded of the thoughts she had just had about him, moments prior; wondering if he thought of her as more human now, as well. She was used to being called all sorts of rude and unpleasant things, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to her if he did think that – a surprised scream was definitely more human than the scowls she had grown accustomed to giving him, after all.

_Sorry, _she apologized to him mentally, though she wasn't quite sure why. _Sorry I'm not nice, anymore_.

As they stared at each other for a moment, Latios _cooed_, interrupting whatever was going on between them just like that. Quickly composing herself, May almost wanted to laugh. Latios wouldn't just appear like this, out of nowhere, to watch them _watching _each other, for however long they had been zoning out.

"Do you," Steven paused, gathering himself the best he could, "want us to soar somewhere with you?" The way he phrased that made something inside May stir, but she ignored it, reaching instead for Yena's PokeBall off her belt to return her silently.

Glancing at Nova, he nodded sagely at her, allowing his Trainer to do the same for him. She carefully clipped the PokeBalls back onto her belt, staring at the odd, almost wingless dragon in front of her.

"May," Steven said, reaching out to her, "come with me." It was another voice she'd never heard him use – this was commanding, like he was used to leading entire armies. She held back her snark for Latios' sake, walking over to where he stood next to the legendary creature.

"Latios," he trailed off, putting his hand back down at his side when May didn't take it, "I believe that it sought us out for help. If that's the case," he grinned, "let's go!" That time, May noticed, he almost sounded giddy. She was learning so much about him today, she thought, as she mentally catalogued this tone into her head as well; for reasons unknown.

If someone had asked her before, if she would've been happy about it, she'd have said no – no questions asked. After all of what she'd seen today, however? She wasn't so sure of her answer, anymore.

Steven was an odd case for her, indeed.

With a sigh, she looked to Latios, hoping nobody picked up on the sound of her swallowing. "Can I climb on?" She asked, not at all understanding if there was a protocol in this situation. The feathered blue dragon nodded in response, and May took a moment before shrugging.

Deciding she wouldn't think too much on it, she jumped onto its back, swinging a leg over the other side a bit clumsily.

Steven let out a light, breezy chuckle; climbing on behind her with ease. Again, and again against her will, May's face begun to burn from their close proximity as he wrapped his arms around her sides.

"Don't fall off, now," he said, joking, but May scowled anyway. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_.

* * *

The island, May thought, was absolutely gorgeous. It was nothing like what she'd thought to expect from Hoenn when she first arrived – lush, green grass; evergreen trees growing everywhere; wildflowers sprouting up from wherever they could; and the sound of the wind making its way through everything around her. It was, for lack of any other word she could think of, stunning.

She looked around in awe, setting herself carefully on the ground. It reminded her of what she had wanted to see from travels in Johto, way back when. Hoenn, it seemed, had much more to the tropical region then she'd originally thought, in her fantasies of soft white sand and clear skies.

"We've arrived," Steven said from behind her, brushing nonexistent dust off his shoulders. He smiled gently at Latios, turning to pat the legendary dragon on the head. "Thank you, Latios."

There was an odd sense of familiarity in the movement, to May. Steven had been just as surprised to see the legendary Pokemon as she had been; so why would he be familiar with it? May shook her head, not wanting to dwell on those kinds of thoughts right now. She was probably just imagining it, anyways.

She looked around the island again, but it was like a switch had been flipped. Gone was the sense of beauty, and she almost shivered at the feeling that had settled deep within her bones. Putting her finger on it was impossible, but something felt off – like something had infected the island itself. Briefly, May wondered if she had overlooked it when she took her preliminary glance around, finding it hard to believe such a peacefulness could disappear so quickly.

The feeling, though, despite being off putting, was familiar to her, somehow.

"I don't know what it is," Steven said, pausing as he took in the atmosphere for himself. "It's not quite unease, not quite fear, but there is something," he took a deep breath, "unsettling."

He had hit the nail right on the head, and May nodded along with his words. Her fingers brushed against her PokeBalls out of habit, taking time to brush over each and every one of them in case she needed them. As in in response, they twitched one by one at her waist, bringing a small smile to her face. Despite how little she'd been a Trainer for, May had no doubt that she could trust her Pokemon with her life.

Even so… She shivered, and allowed herself to release Nova from his PokeBall – not that he would've stayed in there long, she told herself.

"It is an odd feeling, as though I am walking in a dream – or an illusion."

May's eyes widened, mind going to the strange dreams and feelings that had plagued her for her entire life. This was almost similar, she realized, to the unease she'd felt during the more violent dreams. She wanted, desperately, to think his choice or words were just a coincidence – he couldn't know about her dreams, could he? – but something about the way he said it, made her think otherwise.

"I agree," May's voice finally found her. "It doesn't feel good at all."

Steven nodded in agreement, his silver hair brushing over his eyes as he did. "I once hear an odd fable," he said. "It was said that the two Pokemon that live on this island guard some secret about that great form of evolution – Mega Evolution."

"Mega Evolution?" May parroted, confused. She hadn't really cared about it too much during classes, and it never sparked a particular interest in her or anything; meaning her knowledge was quite limited. "I thought that was super rare," she continued, racking her brain for anything she'd retained from school. "And didn't it only become popular in battles over the last decade or two?"

If this island had to do with Mega Evolution… well, May almost wanted to leave. She may not remember much about it from school, but she remembered that it was very powerful, and could be extremely dangerous if it was attempted by someone unskilled.

She wasn't one who lacked confidence, but she wasn't _stupid_. There was no way she or any of her Pokemon were ready to attempt it – after all, it hadn't even been six months since she'd gotten her Trainer's license. That would feel like she was asking to get hurt.

"That's correct, May." Vaguely, she wondered why it always felt like he was talking to himself, even when directly addressing her. "Could it be that some dangerous element is here because of that?"

She thought about it for a moment, surveying the island around her again. _Could _it be that? It didn't seem likely in her opinion; Latios wouldn't have sought out two fairly random Trainers if that had been the case, it was almost assuredly smarter than that. But what other reason could she come up with?

_Well, Steven_, she thought to herself, _since coming to this region my weird issues with headaches and déjà vu have gotten worse and I've been having weird dreams about people and places I've never seen before that obviously exist and this island feels like one of them? _It took effort not to scoff aloud at her thoughts.

"It's a possibility," May eventually decided on. Safe. Neutral. _Not stupid._

"Come," Steven said with a sigh. "We should be going." He turned to face the only path they could see, but waited for her to start walking.

He was right, she knew. They'd probably been talking too long. Her eyes moved to Latios, unsure. "Are you gonna stay here?"

It made an odd noise that resounded in her skull, but it seemed to be saying _yes_. She shrugged, deciding to not put much thought into it.

"Well, alright," May said, still feeling unsure. "Be safe." She wasn't sure why she bothered – it was a legendary Pokemon; it certainly didn't need _her _telling it to be safe.

May walked on ahead then, in front of Steven, and found herself wondering if she'd be alone in facing any threats there. She knew he had some Pokemon on him, but she hadn't thought to ask whether they were powerful, or if he was more on her level. It was slightly concerning – he was a guy who went gallivanting in caves in a suit, after all; it was hard for May to imagine him being terribly strong.

Something about him, though, made her reconsider as she continued moving. Maybe it was the way he held himself, or how calm he seemed at most times. Regardless of what it was, she couldn't help the excitement she felt at seeing what kind of Pokemon he'd raised.

_The- wh- mem- dese- to carv- th- rts…._

Stumbling back in Nova, May brought a hand up to her head quickly. Was she hallucinating again? She swore to herself, praying that this would pass quickly. Now was _not _the time.

_Those whose memories fade seek to carve them in their hearts…._

The breath she was taking to calm herself caught in her throat. The line voiced itself in her head, almost as if she had thought it herself, but she definitely _hadn't_. She braced herself for the headache that was bound to come, but… nothing did.

The phrase, though, was something she was familiar with – something she'd heard before in her dreams, a few times. There was always something reaching out for her, in those dreams, something that she couldn't quite grasp.

After taking a minute to be sure no headache was coming, she pushed herself off of Nova and sped off ahead into the forest, determined to figure out what was going on. Had something materialized the thought? Made her think it? May wasn't sure, but she was going to figure it out.

The dense brush opened up into a clearing, and again, she stopped short. The clearing robbed her of her breath; it was beautiful… but May still couldn't shake the sense of unease that covered the entire area.

Taking a quick look around, she spotted the same wildflowers covering the grass; ending in a plateau in front of a few small waterfalls that converged into the stream. It was mystical, almost, like a human shouldn't have been there.

But what was even more mystical, May realized, was Latias, staring her directly in the face – almost as if she had been waiting there for her.

Anything she could have said died in her throat.

She just stared, completely and totally dumbfounded, until she finally regained control over her body. Creeping forward, she tried not to break whatever… _thing _they had, trying her hardest not to startle the legendary dragon. May felt Steven come up behind her, but he didn't move any closer and didn't say anything, which she appreciated.

Oddly enough, it didn't feel like he was intruding on whatever was happening between herself and Latias. It was almost like he was supposed to be there in her mind – she decided she didn't want to think about that, right now.

When she finally reached the legendary Pokemon, Steven spoke, and May wasn't sure if he realized he was talking aloud.

"Latias," his voice came out in a whisper, "it's so beautiful... if I were to describe such beauty in terms of a stone, it would be a Sun Stone." He paused, shaking his head to himself. "No, it goes beyond that… isn't it's brilliance like that of a Dawn Stone?"

Despite the almost tenseness of the situation, May couldn't help but snort. She didn't know much about Steven – not even his last name – but what she _did_ know was that his love for stones was obviously genuine. He wasn't offended, though. She wasn't even convinced he'd heard her, as he finally made his way next to her to stare in awe.

"It is as fantastic as a Steel-type Pokemon…"

Now this was something to catalogue for later. He'd given her the Steel Wing TM, so she supposed she shouldn't be too surprised if it was his favorite typing. She wondered then if he was a mono-type Trainer, briefly thinking back on the conversation they were having before Latios had shown up. It would make sense, may thought, and somewhere in the back of her mind the thought that it suited him popped up. Stealing a glance at him to confirm those thoughts, she noticed for the first time the keystone he had pinned to his lapel.

_So he's capable of Mega Evolution_, she thought to herself; the realization that he must be much stronger than she'd thought setting in. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, as her eyes flicked between Latias and the bright stone on Steven's suit jacket.

The two of them were so lost in thought, that if it wasn't for Latias' shrill warning, May doubted they would've heard the intruders coming up through the brush.

She turned around and scowled instantly upon seeing who they were. "Team Aqua?" She exclaimed, surprised but not _really _surprised; mostly disgusted and irritated. They seemed to be where she happened to be more and more often lately.

Steven, however, was much more on top of things. "Team Aqua, is it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at them. "So Latias noticed their coming, and that it is why it called on us."

_Oh_. That made at least some sense, may thought. It had wanted protection. Did it send Latios out to find any group of Trainers that had looked capable enough? Even so, May still felt it was too much of a coincidence; especially with this not being the first time she's run into and subsequently defeated Team Aqua in the last few months.

_Whatever, though_, she thought to herself, nodding at Nova. She was always ready to battle these thugs. They had given her nothing but grief thus far, and at this point, it was more or less a personal vendetta than trying to do the right thing.

"What's this!? You!?" The buff guy spat out, looking just as aggravated as May felt. It was then the grunt next to him met May's eyes, and they lit up in recognition. _Great_, she almost groaned aloud. Just what she needed.

"Mr. Matt, sir! That pipsqueak there is the kid that I heard keeps getting in our way!" She screeched out, and May winced involuntarily at the piercing sound.

"Hey, I resent that!" She shouted back without thinking. Maybe she was short, but she wasn't some kid to be trifled with. She was seventeen, for Arceus' sake, and she had beaten them every single time they got in her way.

"B-but that rather alluring gentlemen with her," the grunt said instead of responding, completely ignoring May.

"Ugh," she said under her breath, throwing a glare to the grunt. She had always had a temper, but Team Aqua took her irritation to a whole new level. Whatever patience she may have possessed snapped anytime they were involved – May was completely done with dealing with them.

Steven, on the other hand, was looking at the grunt rather curiously.

"Oh, I feel like I should know him from somewhere," the grunt continued, looking back to who May now knew was _Mr. Matt_. "Maybe he's a contest star?"

May snorted, and opened her mouth to reply that he was just some nobody who liked rocks, but _Mr. Matt_ cut her off instead. "Oh ho! I have no time to worry about that!" He said with a grin, pulling a PokeBall from his waist. "The name's Matt! That's Team Aqua Admin Matt to you!"

_Admin_? May's face was blank at his words. "That means absolutely nothing to me," she told him honestly.

He plowed on ahead, not at all deterred by her deadpan. "What I want from you is that Latias behind you there. But that Mega Stone," he paused, eyeing Steven, "we of Team Aqua are definitely gonna need the transcendent power of Mega Evolution to achieve our ambitions."

Matt cocked his head, eyes moving to lock with May's. Despite Nova already being out, her hand went for his PokeBall on instinct. "How 'bout it?" He asked, his voice full of arrogance – way more than hers ever was. "If you get out of our way, we won't rough you up."

"Fat chance!" She spat at him, clenching her fist tightly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Steven smiled next to her, and she glanced to see him enlarging one of his own PokeBalls. "That's right," he nodded to her, voice smooth as ever. "Full points for the correct answer!"

Rolling her eyes, May did her best to ignore the way her heart beat a little faster in her chest at his words. She didn't think she'd ever met someone in her entire life who complimented her this much.

"I'll take part in this battle as well," Steven declared, stretching out his arm. "Let's protect Latias from these beasts together. We cannot allow Latias, or even a Mega Stone, to fall into the hands of such villains!"

"Always so dramatic," May said under her breath, shifting to let Nova stand in front of her.

"Oh ho!" Matt called out, throwing his PokeBall into the air. His grunt followed suit, the bright lights of materializing Pokemon taking up her vision. "If you're really this stupid, I guess I have no choice but to squash you!"

"You're the one that'll be getting squashed!" May shouted back, before jumping right into the battle with a command. Team Aqua had yet to win against her, and they most certainly wouldn't be breaking that streak today.

* * *

She hadn't even broken a sweat, not really. Between Steven's strong Metang and Skarmory – confirming her earlier thoughts that he was a mono-type Trainer – and Nova's pure, brute strength and endless irritation when it came to Team Aqua, it hadn't really been much of a fight.

The grunt girl fell backwards with a loud shriek after the battle had finished, Nova glaring at the girl with menace. May wanted to roll her eyes, but didn't want to ruin the effect – the grunt didn't have to know that outside of a Pokemon battle her starter was harmless.

Matt, on the other hand, laughed loudly as he recalled his fallen Pokemon; the grin he wore before the battle still there. "Strong, ain't cha?" He nodded at Steven easily.

May glanced over at her battle partner, too – he had surprised her a lot in the battle. He had been quick on his feet, though it was obvious to her he put a lot of thought into his every command. It had almost seemed to her, however, that he was holding back during the battle. His Skarmory especially had seemed almost… _bored_.

"You're an interesting punk too, I'll give ya that!" Matt continued, shifting his focus to May, effectively snapping her away from her thoughts.

She huffed a laugh, but Matt didn't seem put out. May was almost wanting someone in this region to react to her rude demeanor, at this point.

"I love interesting, strong dudes!" He said, turning himself to look back at Steven. "That's why I love my bro, Archie! And that's why I'm gonna start loving you from now on, too!"

Blinking owlishly at him, she thought she made some sort of noise. A squeak, maybe, at his words. Maybe Steven made a similar noise. She couldn't tell – all she knew is her face had turned bright red at the implications, while Steven maintained composure.

Matt's grin turned feral as he continued. "Next time I see you, I'm gonna smash you up real good, okay?" He turned to the grunt without another word for the two of them, nor did he give them a chance to say anything back. Not that May could've, really, after his ridiculous declarations. "Let's get out of here, you dull grunt!"

With that, he went on his way, the grunt meekly following behind him through the brush; leaving Steven and May to watch without a word. Once the two Team Aqua members were out of her line of sight, May finally let out a breath, feeling like her lungs had opened up for the first time since coming here. Nova, too, relaxed his posture, moving to find a comfortable place to sit and relax – and to give his Trainer some space as the legendary dragon watched them carefully.

"Good work, May," Steven started, his eyes lighting up. "Ah, that's right. We should first heal up the Pokemon that fought on our behalf, shouldn't we?"

May nodded along, glancing over at Nova who was already sitting on the grass. Pulling out a Potion spray, the two of them worked in silence while they healed up their Pokemon; Latias still watching them with keen eyes. Under normal circumstances, May might've found herself unsettled by Latias' watchful gaze – or maybe just at the fact that the legendary Pokemon was _there_. Oddly enough, though, now that Team Aqua had left the premises, she felt calm. It almost felt natural to her, to be there with Latias.

When they were finished, and his Pokemon were back in their PokeBalls, Steven turned to face her again. "You preformed spectacularly," he told her honestly, and May's eyes widened at the praise. "We were able to protect both this wondrous Pokemon and its Mega Stone, thanks to you."

Truthfully, May hadn't even realized that Team Aqua was after Latias' Mega Stone – thinking they just wanted Steven's when they saw the chance. Keeping this information to herself, though, she asked with an edge to her tone, "Why are you always complimenting me like this?"

She couldn't really help the guarded curiosity – it was a new experience, for her. It was only their second meeting, though she guessed this qualified as a bit more than just a _meeting_, but the point still remained.

Steven just smiled at her, enigmatic as always. May swore she could hear Nova holding back a chuckle. He began to say something else, but Latias waved its arms frantically instead, letting out a trill and halting their conversation.

They both turned to look at the Pokemon who'd been watching them all this time, surprise on May's face. Looking into its eyes, she could feel the enormous power this creature contained. Seeing that, she wondered why exactly it had called for help – did it not want to hurt people, she wondered. And on top of that, there was something strikingly familiar to May about the Pokemon. She couldn't quite place it; though it was very different from the usual feelings she experienced. This was something new.

"It looks as though Latias may have also recognized you as a trainer worthy of its trust," Steven spoke up, breaking the silence that had fallen.

May looked over to him sharply, eyes narrowing. How could he possibly know that? His smile turned into something gentler, and heat rose to her face despite how uncomfortable she felt. Whipping her head back to Latias, she trained her eyes on the dragon and kept them there, not wanting to look at Steven anymore.

"Look," he continued, gesturing at the Pokemon. "It's trying to offer you its allegiance. I believe it is trying to show that it wants to go with you on your journey." May dragged her eyes back over to Steven for just a moment, seeing an oddly familiar smile on his face. "Go on. Hold your hand out to it."

Forcing her attention back to Latias, May noticed it was kind of holding its small arms out to her. Gingerly, she put out her own hand, like she was trying to shake Latias'. With a tenderness May hadn't expected from such a large creature, Latias put a shard of something into her hand. Holding it up to the light, the stone sparkled and casted a bright, multicolored shine on the ground. She stared at it for a moment, before taking a deep breath.

"Latias," May started, voice already feeling hoarse, "do you want to come with me?

The great dragon nodded easily, making that trilling noise again. The urge to faint was coming on strong, but May did her best to stay standing. This kind of thing was what you saw in the movies, read in books – it wasn't supposed to happen to her. She had grown up, like all kids did, on stories of people saving legendary Pokemon; befriending them and protecting the world from evil. These kinds of things…

Well, they weren't supposed to happen to her – yet here she was.

Slowly, slowly, May took a PokeBall out of her bag and held it out, carefully gripping the stone shard in her other hand. Much more quickly than she expected, Latias leaned forward, hitting its nose to the center button. Just like that, a bright light enveloped it until it disappeared, safely contained inside May's PokeBall.

All was quiet for a few moments; only the sounds of running water from the stream and Steven and May's breathing could be heard. Though, she thought wryly, the sound of her heart pounding in her chest could probably be heard from all the way over the ocean. The PokeBall in her hand felt like it weighed five tons, but her grip on it and the stone didn't give. When she finally had the ability to look over at Steven, he cleared his throat slightly, holding something out for her to take.

"You should take this from me," Steven said quietly, and May slowly put the PokeBall on her belt before heading over to him.

It felt all sorts of wrong keeping a Pokemon like Latias cooped up – she always liked to keep her Pokemon out of their PokeBalls, though the legal limit was one at a time – but she guessed she didn't really have a choice at the moment. She moved slowly over to Steven, each step feeling a bit lighter than the last.

With careful eyes, she watched as he took her hand, her heart beat not slowing down for a second as he clipped a cold, metal bracelet around her wrist.

He moved away from her as soon as it was clasped properly, and May exhaled. She wasn't used to people being that close in her personal space, especially someone who she had so many conflicting feelings towards. Last time she met him, she had thought she hated him, but this time around… He'd been helpful, and kind.

She thought about it for a moment as she took in the cool metal that sat around her wrist. She'd never been one for jewelry, so the feeling was uncomfortable, but looking at the sparkling, rainbow stone in the center had her mind reeling instantly.

_No way_, was her first immediate thought. She opened her mouth to object, but as usual, she was smoothly cut off.

"With the Mega Bracelet that I just gave you and the Mega Stones that a Pokemon may hold, your Pokemon will be able to achieve a powerful boost, quite unlike any usual form of evolution," Steven paused for a moment, looking down at the PokeBall on her belt that now contained Latias. "But only if you are bound by great affection, you will be able to achieve Mega Evolution."

Gaping at him openly, May could feel Nova staring at the silver haired man, mirroring his Trainer's shock. Key Stones were not exactly easy to come by – if May remembered correctly, even the rich could barely buy them, as no stores new a solid supplier. Most people found them on their own, if they got lucky, but that was a rarity for average Trainers. There wasn't exactly a tourist stop where they happened to exist, or anything.

"I suggest you try it with Latias the next time that you happen to have the chance to battle," he continued, smiling at her.

It was like the puzzle pieces snapped into place in an instant. The sparkling stone that Latias had given her, before going into the PokeBall that now wiggled in excitement on her waist… it was its Mega Stone. She'd never seen one before, so she hadn't realized, but it made sense now.

May tried to swallow, but her mouth and throat were both bone dry. "This is," she willed herself to speak up, "this is too much. Mega Evolution is huge."

Steven nodded thoughtfully, taking a moment before replying. "Mega Evolution is a phenomenon that has been long shrouded in mystery," he agreed. "What is a Mega Stone? What is a Key Stone? The process by which bonds between Pokemon and people manifest in a tangible power," he exhaled, shaking his head as he spoke, "how do we explain that?"

This had to have been one of the first times May listened to him and found his thoughts matching her own. The last part rung out loudly in her head, repeating itself like a bell. If people couldn't Mega Evolve, did that mean their bonds weren't strong enough, she wondered? If they could, did that mean other Trainers weren't as… worthy?

If she couldn't, she thought as she bit back a painfully dry gulp, did that mean her father had been right about her, all along?

Any answer she could've come up with would take a while; there was nothing she could think of right then. Steven and May were both silent for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Even Nova, who had perked up considerably when hearing about Mega Evolution from his spot on the ground, had went back to quietly relaxing; waiting for his Trainer with patience.

"I hope that the Mega Bracelet I just gave you might bring us one step closer to finding the answer to these questions," Steven continued, his eyes shining just as brightly as the new stone he had fastened on her wrist.

The more she experienced with him, the more questions she had, but it always seemed to come back to this feeling that grew deep inside her stomach. It wasn't like the déjà vu that she was so familiar with, but May couldn't say it was entirely different, either. It was, she realized, very similar to what she had felt when she befriended Latias no more than a few minutes ago.

Excitement? No. Nervousness didn't cover it, either.

Steven let her mull over what he had said, patiently watching as she stared blankly at the stone on her bracelet. Nova, too, had shifted his focus onto his Trainer, though his eyes were careful. She knew he would be worried over her; over how fast things were moving, and May appreciated the concern.

Even if she was confused – even if things were moving far too fast for her – Nova and her other Pokemon didn't deserve a Trainer who couldn't keep up with them. May had to be better. So instead of taking the time she knew she probably needed, she took a deep breath and met Steven's bright eyes.

"I'll figure out Mega Evolution," she told him with confidence, despite her head swimming with doubt. All those thoughts – not being able to, the ever present possibility that her issues got too much and she'd have to stop traveling – she shut them out, to the best of her ability. She couldn't – wouldn't – give up now.

Her answer, though, seemed to appease Steven, and he nodded at her. "If that settles that," he gestured to the clearing opening, where it turned back into covered brush, "should we be heading back? Together with Latios, waiting so patiently for us there," he trailed off, and May rolled her eyes. He was always so dramatic.

"Yeah," she agreed, pushing her unease to the back of her mind, "let's get out of here." Picking up Nova's PokeBall off her belt, she held it out to him, and to his credit he returned into the ball without complaint.

Though she wasn't looking forward to having Steven hold onto her again as they flew, it would be, for once, a welcome distraction from her own self-doubt.

* * *

The feeling of flying was something indescribable. There was nothing like it, in May's mind. Even if it was embarrassing with Steven pushed up against her like this, the feeling of the wind flowing freely through her hair and being so high up above land was akin to magic. May understood, now, why there were barely any cars in Hoenn, as opposed to Johto. If the air was always this warm, she thought, why would anyone take any other kind of transportation?

She didn't want to land, but she certainly wasn't about to risk looking like a spoiled brat by asking Latias to fly with her a little longer when the blue dragon stopped on the edge of Route 118. May got off of him, albeit reluctantly, ignoring Steven's outstretched hand entirely. Again, just like before, he wasn't fazed by her at all.

For whatever reason, May frowned at the thought.

"Thank you for your help, May," Steven told her once they were both solidly on land again.

She didn't even have time to take out Nova's shaking PokeBall before Latios trilled, calling to them. She and Steven both looked back, startled, but the look on Latios' face was not angry or scared – it was peaceful.

May smiled back at it, unable to help herself.

"Perhaps it's trying to tell you to take good care of Latias," Steven said, a small smile tugging on his lips.

"Is that it?"

The blue dragon nodded at her. She had never really cared about legends and myths before, but May did remember, somewhere in the back of her mind, that Latias and Latios were sibling legendary Pokemon. They spent their whole lives together, usually. Her hand went to the PokeBall that contained Latias, and she nodded back at Latios.

"I will," she vowed, and she meant it. She had, despite all her misgivings about so many things, wanted to come on this journey, after all. Even if she had started it too many years too late, in a completely different country, without the support of her family – she would take whatever happened on this journey and roll with it. Even if it meant carrying a legendary dragon on her belt. "I will."

Latios trilled once more, and like a rocket, flew up into the sky, zipping away from them in an instant. She guessed he must've been holding back for them, and she couldn't help the grin that formed at the thought.

"In the end, you were a far greater help than I expected you might be," he said, and May scowled at him. "I expect that you and your team will be able to best both Route 119 ahead and even the Fortree Gym beyond that," he continued, following up his almost rude comment with praise that had her face warming. "I'll be curious to see how much stronger you might grow by the next time we meet. Until then, May."

She didn't have any words for him as he walked off, back into the Hoenn wilderness, still looking completely out of his comfort zone in his fancy suit. She stared off in the direction he left for a few moments, almost dazed, until Nova's shaking in his PokeBall grew too violent for her to ignore. Shaking her head, she released him, trying to clear her head.

He materialized in front of her, almost immediately giving his trainer a look, and May threw her head back and laughed. Rude as they might be, her Pokemon were good to her.

"Come on," she told him, a smile wide on her face. "Let's head to the next Gym, okay?"

Nova ruffled his feathers, but nodded at her, letting his Trainer take the lead. For now, she wouldn't worry about how she would show Latias the world without Team Aqua constantly trying to take her; or if she would ever be able to Mega Evolve her own Pokemon. The bracelet hung heavy on her wrist, but May would just keep moving, the best she could, with her Pokemon at her side to support her.

* * *

**Notes**

That was a really long one, lmao. When I first wrote this, I wrote it all in one day (ow), but editing it took me a few lmao. Anyways, next chapter will be out in a week, **March 17th**! See you then!


	4. Chapter Three - Route 120

**Notes**

Hello, and I'm so glad I managed to finish this in time! This week has been a bit crazy for me IRL, so it's times like these I'm grateful for slow days at work where I can use my laptop freely, haha. This _is_ fully written, technically, but to explain a bit, for each chapter I'm rewriting/editing it as I post, which is why there's the week in between posts.

Anyways, though, much shorter chapter this time around, but hopefully y'all enjoy anyway! This includes one of my favorite scenes from the first half of this fic, so I really hope you guys like it. Also, there's a few things that are mentioned here that will be very much brought up again later, so see if you can figure it out! Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows, and just reading in general. I seriously appreciate how kind and interested you have all been, it means the world to me.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Route 120**

May had decided, almost immediately, that she wouldn't keep Latias on her team. The two had talked – well, as much as one could talk to their Pokemon – about what they should do, and Latias agreed that for now, with Team Aqua still on the rise, it was safer to be kept in her PC box.

It wasn't a perfect solution, by any means. May felt horrible about it, and the guilt had been wearing on her almost as much as her practically sleepless nights had been; but it was certainly better than the alternative. The idea of losing Latias to Team Aqua due to her own stupidity was out of the question.

So she had continued on her journey. The dreams, something she'd hoped would somehow get better after meeting and befriending Latias, persisted, making it hard for her to focus on some days. What were once fuzzy images had become startling clear, and arriving in Fortree had been just the breath of fresh air she needed.

One look at the city and she was already in love – a city built on trees was much more beautiful than she would've ever thought. Besides that, the freedom aspect certainly appealed to her; it felt like something she would've dreamt up as a kid, had there been more trees in the inner city of Olivine. She may have always been partial to the ocean, but the beauty here wasn't lost on her.

Nova kept laughing at his Trainer as she gaped in awe, and she turned to him to roll her eyes, trying to shrug him off. Somehow, her Blaziken had ended up just as aggravating to deal with as she was sure she could be – go figure. She only had herself to blame.

It was rare for her to arrive so early in the morning anywhere, but May wasn't complaining as she waltzed into Fortree. She was very used to getting into the towns and cities of Hoenn late at night, quickly crashing in the nearest Pokemon Center, and then continuing – or in some cases, _starting_ – her tour later the next day after some food. This time around, however, she had lucked out, and arrived before 10 o'clock in the morning.

As much as it irritated her, May had Team Aqua to thank for that. After their run in at the Weather Institute the day before, the kind man who owned the place had let her use the upstairs rooms to rest, making it one of her easiest mornings on her journey thus far. It may have been a rarity, but it was a welcome one. She and Nova hadn't even bothered checking into the Pokemon Center yet, skipping right over it in favor of heading to the Gym first thing.

She was thankful that she and Latias had agreed to keep Latias in the box when she ran into Team Aqua yesterday – it furthered proved May's point that it wasn't safe for her, yet. Thus, her team was back to what it had been before the Southern Island fiasco, and they were ready. Like always, May hadn't bothered to do any real research on the Gym beforehand, but word on the street was that this was the Flying-type Gym Leader. She didn't even need to look over to Nova to know he was ready to go.

Smiling, May walked confidently with Nova behind her, straight to the front door, only to bump into—

May yelped, bumping into _something_ in front of the door. Looking down, she saw… Absolutely nothing. Nova's scoff could be heard over his Trainer hissing in pain, but May was too bewildered to even throw him a glare. "What the hell?" She questioned, staring at the empty space between herself and the Gym's entrance.

Rubbing her sore wrists, May was still coming up empty handed as she looked around the area, finding nothing at all in between her and the door. She could see the door clearly, even – there was no smoke, or any kind of illusion that she could tell. No bushes around her with moving Pokemon, no Trainers anywhere nearby, either.

Groaning, she took one last look around. There really was absolutely _nothing_ there, but that seemed impossible. The _air _couldn't have bruised her wrist like that, May reasoned to herself. Huffing a breath, blowing her bangs up with it, she almost wanted to stomp her feet like a child. This was _frustrating_. Never in her journey yet – and she had _five badges _– had she been ready to go this early on in the day, leaving her with the rest of the day to explore and rest.

"Come on, Nova," she said, turning around on her heel. "We'll come back later."

Brows furrowing as she climbed the ladder back up to leave the area, she cursed herself mentally. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_. It felt like nothing on her journey could ever go smoothly, for some reason. Everyone on TV – everyone she'd talked to, really – had always made it sound so _easy_, but the reality was traveling on your own was exhausting and difficult.

It had been almost five months since May had left her new home in Littleroot, and she had only slept on an actual bed a handful of times. Many nights, her dinner had been whatever berries she could find along the way; canned goods feeling almost like a luxury during her worst days. She hadn't spoken to her mother since she had left, and the only time she'd spoken to her father was when she had beaten him at his own Gym.

That hadn't been pretty. The resentment her father held towards her was palpable in that battle, and she'd barely slept the week after leaving the city. The battle itself was a blur – May barely remembered talking to him at all, barely remembered what he'd said to her and what she'd said to him – and now, when she thought her next Gym experience would help get that awful taste out of her mouth, she was stuck because of an invisible barricade.

She sighed, waiting for Nova to join her atop one of the treehouses. Despite everything, she still didn't regret leaving, somehow.

"Let's go check in or something," she told her Blaziken, who nodded at her evenly. At least she always had her Pokemon, now.

* * *

After checking out the Pokemon Center and deciding not to grab a key for the time being, May had been making her way around Fortree hoping to find anyone who might know what was going on at the Gym. She'd practically talked to everyone who lived in the city at this point, and was about ready to give up when she heard an unfortunately familiar voice.

"So, it looks as though that Pokemon can be found up on Route 120," Steven said, his hand cupping his chin in thought. He looked so out of place here, May thought, with his perfect silver hair and pristine suit. She almost wanted to laugh.

Before she could call out to him, though, he headed off out of the city, and she rolled her eyes. How typical. "I should probably follow him, huh," she asked Nova, who looked at his Trainer pointedly. The unspoken accusation had her cheeks burning in a second. "Not because I want to _see him. _Arceus, Nova, it's because he's a good Trainer and might know what's going on in front of the Gym."

She said that, sure, but part of her did actually want to see him, as much as she didn't want to admit it. After their shared experience at Southern Island the last time she'd seen the older man, her dreams had somehow become clearer – and for some reason, she'd wondered if that was related.

The water felt more real, more wet as it splashed on her face; and when her hair would stick to her skin she'd wake up in cold sweats. She could feel the warmth from his hand despite the chilly temperatures in her dreams, could feel the desperation in his voice though she was still unable to make out any words. Just feelings.

It drove May crazy, and drove her to nearly leap off the treehouse she was on top of after him – Nova laughing at his Trainer as he followed.

Without giving much thought to it at all, May followed him right out of Fortree, rushing into the beauty of the Hoenn outdoors. She didn't stop to smell the roses, however, determined to find him before he took off on that impressive Skarmory of his.

It took her quite a bit to find him – how he moved so quickly in those fancy suits, she didn't know – but she did track him down: Steven was standing on a bridge that went across one of Hoenn's many natural bodies of water, and he looked…

May swallowed hard. She wouldn't let herself finish that thought.

She gave herself a minute to soak in the sight before making her presence known, anyways.

It was ridiculous, really, that she felt this way when she looked at him. She'd only met him _twice_, really, but it didn't seem to matter to her. A large part of her was still aggravated by him, but you couldn't really have an experience like the one they shared on Southern Island together and not have an opinion improve a bit, she told herself.

Even if he did plague her nightmares, for reasons unknown.

Now that she was on the bridge, it felt off to her – almost like there was something watching her, but May ignored it. She'd felt weird in Hoenn since she'd arrived, after all. Chalking it up to that was much easier than trying to figure it out.

She cleared her throat, staring at Steven with narrowed eyes. He constantly seemed out of it, lost in his own little world, and May often wondered if she had been like that before starting her own journey, as well.

_Was that why—_

"Hm?" He turned around, lips curving into a small smile the moment he met May's eyes. The tips of her ears turned pink despite her mental protests.

"May? So, we meet again," he started, voice as warm as ever. May nodded at him while he glanced at her smaller form, until he found what he wanted. "How has it been going? Have you been using the Mega Bracelet wisely?" He asked, eyes fixated on the heavy metal sitting on her wrist.

Rolling her eyes at him, she opened her mouth to say something back, but he cut her off before she could even begin. She shouldn't have been surprised. Even after Southern Island, trying to have a conversation with him was nothing short of impossible.

"I suppose I needn't even ask, though. Not when it comes to you and your team."

Turning her glare up a notch, she added a scowl to her look, as well. She didn't understand why he placed such an unshakable faith in her and her Pokemon team, and yet wouldn't even let her finish her sentences. Not once during any of their conversations did he question her abilities, despite barely knowing her.

"It's been helpful," she was able to respond after a moment, eyes trained carefully on her shoes. The anger she felt was a nice distraction, but the feeling that something was watching her was growing stronger the longer she stood there, and it was beginning to make her skin crawl.

"I wonder," Steven continued, mirth evident in his tone, "have you noticed? There's something here you can't see." Instantly, May's eyes went up to meet his in alarm. _Obviously_ she had noticed. Had he picked up on it as well, she wondered?

_He always seems to be one step ahead of me._

"Now, if I were to use this device on the invisible obstacle," he trailed off, breaking out into the widest smile May had ever seen on him.

She gulped, hoping that it wasn't audible, but she could feel Nova's silent laughter from behind her anyway. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

"No, no," he continued, his smile morphing into a grin, "rather than describing it, I should just show you. That should be more entertaining."

_Asshole_, was her first immediate thought, scowl growing deeper. "Entertaining, huh?"

True to his patterns, though, he wasn't at all put off by her aggressive tone. "May, are you and your Pokemon ready for battle?"

She held back an eye roll. "We're always ready," she said, Nova nodding from behind her. "Anything else would be an insult to my team."

Overconfident, maybe, but May really did feel it was the truth. They come out here ready to take on the Fortree Gym, after all. Her Pokemon hadn't fought since a couple of Trainer early in the morning before arriving in the city. They were more than ready for a good battle, though she didn't see how it was relevant.

"Good," he told her easily, pulling something out of his pocket. "In that case," Steven paused, handing over to her what looked like a pair of binoculars, "I want you to take this. Try it on," he encouraged. "I'm sure it will fit you."

Side eyeing him, May felt suspicion creeping up her spine. They looked like regular binoculars in her eyes – what could this possible do, she wondered? Nonetheless, she put them to her eyes anyway. She trusted Steven, loathe as she was to admit it, and she wouldn't have been able to shake her curiosity for long regardless.

Her trust in the older man paid off almost instantly: as soon as she looked around with the device to her eyes, she could spot the outline of a Pokemon.

"Whoa!" May yelped out, jumping back a bit from the outline. Positive Nova and Steven were laughing at her, she went to turn around, but before she could the Pokemon shimmered into full color right in front of her.

Hissing, Nova was instantly in front of his Trainer, ready to take on whatever Pokemon it was. May ripped the binoculars away from her face, struggling to get a better look at her opponent before being forced into a fight. Before she could even reach for her PokeDex, the thing went straight for Nova, who dodged its scratch with ease.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you get," May called out to the foreign Pokemon, eyes gleaming. "Nova, Blaze Kick!"

It may not have been the battle she was hoping to have this morning, but it would do for now. Besides, she had an audience for once. She was determined to show Steven just how hard she'd been working since they'd last met.

* * *

"Just as I expected," Steven smiled at her as she pocketed her newly caught Kecleon. She looked away at the compliment, trying hard not to think about it too much. "That's called a Devon Scope," he continued, gesturing to the binoculars in her off hand. "It's a fantastic piece of tech that lets you see Pokemon in hiding."

She hadn't even known Pokemon could _do _that. Her gaze turned curious as she turned the binoculars over in her hand, looking at them carefully. _More Devon stuff, huh? _She opened her mouth to ask him about his connections to the company, but to her familiar aggravation, he cut her off.

"Consider it a gift from me," Steven waved his hand. "Take it."

"Are you sure?" Was the question she found tumbling out of her mouth instead of finishing her original question – _what is your relationship with Devon Corp?_

He nodded, and May sighed, resigning herself to wonder about it for another day while she put the binoculars in her bag. She looked back up at him just in time to see the silver haired man pull something else out of his pocket, with his usual elegance.

"And one more thing," he said, his voice the gentlest she'd ever heard it. He waited patiently – for once – for her to close her bag again, before walking up to her and pressing a warm stone carefully into her open palms.

_His hands are warm, _May noticed, staring at their joined hands rather dumbly. The only other time he'd been this close to her before was riding on top of Latios, but she had been so full of adrenaline she hadn't focused much on it. The most she'd ever really touched in _general _were her Pokemon, and despite her general outlook on other people being too much of an irritation…

This was nice, she realized with a start. It felt _nice_.

"This stone ranks as one of my top five favorite stones in existence," Steven continued softly, looking into her eyes. May would've stumbled back from the intense intimacy of the moment if her body could've moved; she was completely still as he kept talking, not even breathing. "I have no doubt that your Pokemon will like it, too."

He pushed the stone into her palms again, making sure she had a grip on it, before finally backing off to a normal, average distance between two people. She felt her lungs take in air, but she barely registered the fact. How long had it been, since she'd been comfortable around another person? How many years?

"You know, May," he started again, like nothing had happened at all. _Had _anything really happened, May found herself wondering. She wasn't too sure, anymore. "I like to see Trainers and Pokemon who are trying their best," he nodded at Nova with a smile, who puffed up to make himself look even bigger. "That's why I like you so much."

His voice was earnest as he spoke, and May felt her throat go dry. A staggered _what _came out in disbelief. Logically, she knew what he was saying was something completely normal and reasonable – but convincing herself of that?

That was a challenge. Part of her hated him for making her feel so conflicted over something so casual; human contact and praise should not be this difficult, May thought.

In an effort not to stare at him like a Magikarp out of water, she shuffled around in her bag to put the new stone he'd just given her away safely. Even though she didn't know him very well at all, he had been kind to her, exponentially so. Every time they met, he'd given her something, now.

It was foreign territory for May. Nobody had ever made her like them so much while simultaneously making her so _angry_ all the time.

"Hm?" She looked up at him, wondering what it was now. "It seemed as though something just," Steven paused, seemingly searching for the right word, "shone for a moment in your bag."

_Shone? _What was he talking about, she wondered, having no idea what he could mean.

"I'm sure I sensed the power of some kind of stone," he trailed off, completely fixed on her bag, now. May just sighed, allowing herself to roll her eyes. Of _course_ it was about stones. As much as she didn't understand about Steven, there were a few things she was very confident in.

One was most certainly his love of stones, however weird. At least he was genuine about something.

"A meteorite?" Steven questioned after a moment of silence, causing May to freeze.

Instantly, she was unsettled – how could he know about that? She had gotten in from Fallarbor Town not too long ago, and hadn't really known why she kept it. She'd never mentioned it to anyone, and she didn't think the Professor would've been blabbing about it. Would he even know Steven, she wondered to herself.

"No, it couldn't be," he answered his own question, waiting quite a few beats. It was like a weight was lifted off her chest then, though she didn't know _why_. It was only a meteorite, after all. It wasn't anything odd or something she shouldn't own or show people.

Something about that specific meteorite, though, made her not want to talk about it in the open. Her head pounded once, and it was an effort not to bring her hand to her temple.

May put her back away quickly after that, and Steven smiled warmly at her, completely unfazed by his own odd behavior. She scowled back at him, oncoming headache making her mood worse by the minute.

"Let's meet again someday," he told her, and despite herself and her irritation rising, May nodded at him.

As per his usual, he didn't want for her to say anything. He was always marching to the beat of his own drum, it seemed. Walking off the bridge, he pulled out his Skarmory's PokeBall, seamlessly taking off into the sky. May watched him for a minute, before looking down at her hands. They felt warm, still – the same warmness she felt from him in her dreams, even with the freezing cold sheets of rain that always came down.

She continued to stare at them, and as she did, it was like a switch was flipped inside her head. The previous pounding that had been coming on stopped, and she blinked, wide eyed. Nova gave a squawk of concern, snapping May out of whatever trance she'd been in.

"You know what this means, right?" She asked him, and he chirped at her, not sounding at all like the huge Blaziken that towered over her now. "Yeah," she nodded slowly, waiting for the bobbing of her head to bring her back some pain, but nothing ever came. "It's time to get out next Gym Badge."

She didn't have time to think about weird pretty boys or awful headaches and weird dreams. She had a Gym Badge to go and win, a journey to continue, and a life she so desperately wanted to live.

* * *

Leaving Fortree had felt sad, almost. It was a nice city, she'd thought. Living up in the trees like they did seemed so simple and freeing; and Winona, while a bit… odd, to say the least, felt familiar to her in the most pleasant way. So much of Hoenn had that effect on her, but Winona was so peaceful to be around. All her previous thoughts of raging storms and Steven's warmth had left her for the day as she'd traveled around the city after her Gym battle. Part of her almost hadn't wanted to leave. Technically speaking, she knew she didn't have to, but her Pokemon had been itching to get going.

She understood. She didn't like feeling tied down too much, either, and they were all painfully aware of that. They probably thought they were doing her a favor, May realized with a small smile.

With a sigh, after one more last look – for now – at the city behind her, she grabbed her stuff and headed out towards the route she'd met Steven on that morning. Mossdeep City was next, according to her PokeNav+, and she didn't want to make her Pokemon wait around for her any longer. Plus, it would be getting dark soon, and they should find a decent place to rest before it got too dangerous. With that in mind, May led Yena out of the area and back into Hoenn's deep, luscious jungle.

* * *

**Notes**

Thanks, as always, for reading! Next chapter will be out next Sunday, **March 24**, so I'll see you then!


	5. Chapter Four - Mossdeep City

**Notes:**

It's still Sunday, somehow! Amazing! Sorry for the much later than average posting, this week has been absolute hell and I'm exhausted. I'm honestly amazed I managed to edit all this in time, to be honest with you guys;; I won't go into too much detail, but I'll just say on top of some family related issues, something else came up, unfortunately.

I also just want to also apologize for not answering reviews or anything this week. I'll try to get to them all throughout the week, and I really do appreciate each and every notification I get for this story! It was a nice pick me up every time I got an email this week, so thank you guys so much as always.

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! The action of the first half of the fic starts here, and I can't wait to show you guys!

* * *

**Chapter Three: Mossdeep City**

Beating Tate and Liza had felt _good_. May had known she could do it, before even stepping foot into the Gym, but it was still a special kind of satisfying for any Trainer to win a Gym Badge. Most people, at least back in Johto, often didn't bother continuing their journeys after the fifth or sixth Gym Badge – but here she was, basking in the win of her _seventh_.

May was proud of herself and her Pokemon, and reasonably so. They had worked hard the past few weeks since beating Winona. Constant training, battling others, and some days even sleepless nights traveling and battling wild Pokemon. They deserved the win so much, she knew. She turned, a smile on her face to congratulate Nova again, when a loud roaring from the sky rang out.

Instantly, her hands moved on their own to cover her ringing ears as another _boom _resounded from above her. She watched in horror as a bright green pillar shot up from the ocean, and burst all the way into the sky.

She waited impatiently for the onslaught of images and headaches, but nothing came. It was odd, and left her not knowing what to think – much, much less things had set her off before. Something this big should've had a worse effect… Right?

Her ears were still ringing as she stumbled away from the Gym's doors, Nova holding onto her upper arm to steady her. Looking over, she could see confused people swarming all over the previously peaceful city; every single one of them staring out to the sea.

It was like a dam burst, then: everyone started speaking all at once, making May wince.

"A bright green pillar! Just shot out from the ocean!"

"Is that near Route 128?"

"It's the end of the world as we know it."

Slowly, slowly, May made her way over to the crowd, intent on trying to find out what they might know – _what did they mean by '_end of the world_'? Where was Route 128? _– when a terribly familiar face came out of the center of the bustling crowd.

"May!" Steven called out, wasting no time in moving towards her quickly. Nova stepped back, allowing his Trainer to stand on her own for this. "I heard from Liza and Tate that you visited their Gym," he said once he reached her, barely giving her a second to wonder _why _he was talking to the Mossdeep Gym Leaders – or why he was even _there_. "I was thinking of trying to catch you while you were in the area, but then this happened," he looked back and gestured at the ocean behind them, where the giant green light had now disappeared from. "We should talk. Let's go to my place."

Under different circumstances, she would've gone beet red from the implications of that last sentence – or at the very least, would've had a lot more questions about the rest of what he'd said – but she didn't have time to think about that. Instead she nodding, agreeing immediately. Something was going on, something very bad, if people's reactions were anything to go by, and she needed all the answers she could get. She didn't know if she could even do anything, be of any use in this situation, but if she could… May knew deep in her bones that she would do anything she could to help, and knew her Pokemon would, too. They loved Hoenn; Hoenn had given her the freedom and friends she'd craved since she was a child. She wouldn't dare stand around and watch as something happened, without at least trying to do her part.

Without another word, Steven turned around, instructing May to follow him. Neither May nor Nova hesitated as they followed him closely, leaving the large crowd of distraught people behind them.

* * *

Steven led her to a quaint, one story house right on the outskirts of the city, which was not at all what May had been expecting, if she were being honest. For a man who liked wearing business suits while he went caving and gave out expensive gifts to Trainers he didn't know super well, he lived… fairly modestly. May looked around the house unabashedly, and was not surprised when she saw that the only standout items were large display cases of rocks and other gemstones. _How typical_, she couldn't help but think, despite the dire situation.

"Ah," Steven coughed awkwardly, sitting down at the only table in sight. "Yes… I suppose I should welcome you to my home," he said while motioning down at the other chair. May sat down, stiff as a board, while Nova stood next to her watching carefully. "Please forgive the rather sparse décor."

_Was he embarrassed? _May gave him a look. Normally, she knew, she would be all over the fact that _Steven_ of all people had barely anything in his house, but it just wasn't the time. Her ears were still recovering from the boom that shook Mossdeep, serving as a great reminder that this wasn't a pleasure visit.

"Now where to begin," he spoke, mostly to himself. Pushing her impatience to the side, she let him take his time with this; dutifully ignoring her twitching leg. Over the last six or so months, she'd learned patience – at least somewhat, and right now, she knew it was better to let him figure it out.

"Let us take a moment to understand what is happening to our world right now," he started, voice steady. "The rumbling that shook the earth just now, the eardrum rupturing explosion heard," he trailed off for a moment, his eyes finally meeting May's own. "They are proof that a seal, which was long hidden undersea, has been undone at last."

Flashing back to their first meeting, she realized _exactly _what he meant. She hadn't meant to pay so much attention to his ramblings back then, but she was grateful she did now. Steven nodded back at her as she looked to him, confirming her fears. Everything she hadn't really understood back then was pulling itself together in her head.

"The super ancient Pokemon that has been sealed deep beneath Route 128 since ancient times… it slept until now in the Seafloor Cavern."

Thankfully, Steven ignored her gasp at his words. Remembering their first conversation clearly in her mind, she thought of what he'd said. These legendary Pokemon could bring terrible destruction to Hoenn – no, to the world. These were myths that since he'd told her, she'd heard a few times throughout her travels, and every version always ended with mass ruin.

"The entrance to that cavern was sealed by the power of a certain Pokemon, all in an effort to keep any human or Pokemon from ever breaching it. But now it appears that the scheming of that terrible Team Aqua has undone the seal," Steven continued, normally soft blue eyes hardening as he spoke. _Team Aqua_. Of course. They had seemed almost harmless to May at first, kind of like pranksters up to no good. Over the course of her journey, though, they'd gotten worse. But this?

This was too much. May wondered vaguely if even Team Rocket would've gone this far.

"There is no doubt that they intend to revive the super ancient Pokemon. And once they do so, it seems they hope to make its power their own," he finished, eyes shifting back to look at his barren table.

May understood now, why everyone in Mossdeep had been panicked like that. They must've all grown up on tales and myths of these Pokemon that used to rule their land, and they likely knew the signs. As she thought that, her head pounded – a bit belatedly, she thought with a grimace – and quickly, her hand reached out to cool her forehead.

She had been lucky on her journey, really. Her episodes had never really happened in front of people, but May didn't waste too much time on that thought. Steven reached out for her, but before he could reach her, took his hand back; unsure of what to do, or how to help. Nova held onto his Trainer's shoulder as she groaned, turning her head to bury her face into his feathers.

The dreams and images that had been getting clearer and clearer were picture perfect, now. A blue Water-type Pokemon at the edge of a cave, deep under the ocean. It was so loud, and so strong, but May stood her ground in front of it, even with shaking knees. A flash, and then something new: the sun shining far too brightly, the ocean drying up, what looked like a volcanic eruption somewhere in the distance. Another flash, and yet another scene played out in May's head – two beasts, this time, fighting for control. A small island in the middle of the ocean, housing a large red lizard Pokemon, roaring at the Water-type from earlier, until a green dragon came down from the sky.

After what felt like hours, everything faded, and May blinked heavy eyelids a few times. Whatever she'd just seen, everything had felt real – worse than the pouring rain and Steven's hand she'd seen a few times. The dry, overbearing heat from the oceans soaking themselves up… The instinctual, primal fear she felt in front of that Water-type Pokemon… She shook herself, trying to force the bumps on her arms to disappear.

"Sorry," she spoke to Steven finally, her voice husky from pain. "Please keep going."

"May," his voice was soft and quiet, trailing off quickly. It was obvious to her that he wanted to ask, but she shook her head no – albeit slowly, to not cause her pain.

"Don't worry about me," she told him, "just keep going." Nova's grip on her shoulder tightened, wordlessly asking his Trainer to take a minute, but she refused. She was tired, yes, but this was important. She didn't have time to take for herself, right now.

Steven sighed, looking her over for a moment. He must've found something on her face, though, because he obliged shortly after, continuing on with what he knew. "If Team Aqua obtains the power of the super ancient Pokemon, it will upset the balance of nature in this world. A crisis unlike any other before it will befall every living thing on this planet."

His words were like a drill into May's skull. _They were that powerful_? She wanted to ask, but knew it would be moot. She'd seen it herself, just moments before. Endless oceans and endless deserts – most definitely something that would upset the balance of nature.

"I plan to do everything in my power to quell this situation. That is my duty. But there is a limit to what I can do with my power alone," Steven kept talking, looking downcast.

"Your duty?" May asked him, losing him on this one. "What duty do you have? It's not about _duty_," she told him firmly, "it's about doing what you _can_." She wasn't here out of _obligation_. Saving people, saving Pokemon – those were the kinds of things that shouldn't have anything to do with that, to her. She wasn't her father, always using his duty to his work as an excuse – and in that moment, she prayed Steven wasn't like him, either.

He nodded at her easily, even with her words and hard tone. "Yes," he agreed, though whether it was out of honesty or not May wasn't sure. "That is why I am asking for your help."

For some reason, that surprised her. Steven had asked for her help in the past, like with Latias, but she knew after seeing him in battle that he could've handled this entirely by himself. To have him ask something like this of her, so openly, could only mean that he didn't think he could. With Latias, it was a bit different – Latios had appeared in front of both of them, he didn't really have a choice but to work with her. But he had sought her out, this time, and May was just now realizing it was likely for this purpose. She almost couldn't believe it.

The amount of respect he had for her, a Trainer he'd encountered a few times… Even with the terrible facts piling up, her heart swelled.

"I have great faith in your abilities," he said, nodding again at her. "Lend me your strength to put a halt to these teams' mad ambitions! With you and I and our Pokemon all working together, we will overcome this disastrous turn of events." His eyes searched May's own for something, and she was determined to make sure he found it.

Nodding back at him, she knew that she wouldn't back down from this. She didn't think she was up to the challenge, not really, but she couldn't let that stop her. Her freedom, that she had longed to have for so many years – the freedom of all of Hoenn, really – was in danger. And if there was something that someone thought she could do to help it… Like what she thought when she first ran into Steven, she would do it. No hesitation.

"Do you think we can?" Somehow escaped her mouth, anyway. Regardless of his answer, May had decided. She would help no matter what he thought. And if he thought they couldn't, even with his flowery speech moments ago, May would prove him wrong. Just like she had been proving her parents wrong.

Steven looked away, but nodded. "I don't think it's out of the question."

It wasn't a good answer. It was probably one of the worst ones she could've gotten, but May could work with it. "Okay," she said, after taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'll do anything, just give me the word."

Her head was still spinning from her episode just a few minutes ago, but Steven – Hoenn – was relying on her. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, not really, but that didn't matter to her anymore. Hoenn had become home for May; a home where she finally felt like herself. One look at Nova told her that her Pokemon felt the same way, and she was positive the rest of her team would agree as well. They were all so like-minded, truly, she was blessed. After so many years of waiting desperately for something in her life to change, here she was, making all the changes she had ever needed on her own.

Steven pulled her out of her internal monologue by holding out a familiar looking disc. "I will entrust you with this."

Taking the disc from him gingerly, May read the title. HM 07 – DIVE. "What does this one do?" She asked him, unzipping her bag to put it away carefully. She had an idea, based on what he said earlier about a seafloor cavern, but she figured it didn't hurt to ask.

"If you use Dive, you will be able to dive to the ocean floor with your Pokemon," he told her, confirming her thoughts. "And take this, so you stay with your Pokemon even in the depths of the ocean." Steven then handed her a heavy bag that had been sitting by his feet, pushing it across the table to her.

Peaking inside, curious, May found scuba hear as her latest gift from the older man. Grinning, she was unable to help the bubbling excitement despite the heavy atmosphere. Even with everything that was going on, she was excited. She'd always loved being out on the ocean with her Sharpedo, ever since she had caught her.

"If you were to use Dive in the correct stretch of water along Route 128," he paused, looking her over carefully, "I believe you should be able to reach the entrance to the seafloor cavern." She nodded, soaking in the information slowly. The idea that she was really about to do this was still sinking in. "I will join you when I finish my duties. Please do what you can to stop Team Aqua and Team Magma until then. I am trusting you to do this for me!"

It was a rarity, from her limited experience, to hear him speak so passionately. The determination carried over and filled May, and she was able to shake off her nervousness because of it. There was something else, though – an emotion she couldn't place, but she ignored it; distractions were definitely unneeded at the moment.

"I understand," she said, firmly. "I won't let you down." And she meant it. She would do everything in her power to stop those dimwits from Aqua and Magma before something truly irreversible happened to Hoenn – to the place she now considered home.

"I must go now," he told her, but she didn't miss the grateful look in his eyes as he stood up from his chair. May stood up as well, not bothering to take in his quaint little home again. There would be a next time to do so, she promised herself.

They both walked to the door, Nova in tow, before Steven stopped.

"May," Steven started, staring at her with an intensity she wasn't expecting. Despite wanting to head out and get started, she found once she met his eyes, she couldn't look away. He took a deep breath, and a step closer. May could feel his breath fan out over her face as he spoke again. "Please be careful."

The feeling of his breath on her nose wasn't nearly as unpleasant as she though it would be. Steven had never seemed to understand the idea of a personal bubble, between how he held her tightly while flying on Latios and shoving rocks into her unsuspecting hands, but this felt… different, than before. She could feel her face turning red, and even Nova, usually quick to make fun of his Trainer, stayed silent as they looked at each other.

"I will," she breathed out after what felt like hours, watching as he inhaled slowly before taking a step back, and then turning around completely to leave.

Just like that, he was gone, and the moment was over – but May's heart still beat hard and fast in her chest. Nova looked at her curiously, and she nodded rather dumbly. "Let's get going," she settled on. "We've got work to do."

* * *

Despite all of her best efforts, even defeating every single member of team Aqua she came across, May had still, ultimately, failed. Archie had still released Kyogre from its watery prison, and there was absolutely nothing she could've done differently, she realized with horror. Falling to her knees, she watched with eyes wide open, Nova shaking his PokeBall at her waist.

Kyogre was massive – otherworldly massive – and it was _angry_. The sense of longing that she had gotten from seeing depictions of it elsewhere was nowhere to be found; just the very familiar desperation from her nightmares. But oh, this was worse than any of her nightmares, or episodes. This was _real_, and it was all her fault.

She watched as Kyogre disappeared into the ocean, no doubt about to begin the storm that would flood the world; her ears ringing from its shrieks. May was numb as Maxie and Shelly stormed into the room and screamed at Archie for what he had done. She was numb as she picked herself up off the ground, following the three of them like a zombie to the surface to see what was happening. She was numb, all the way up until Archie started talking.

"How could you?" May screamed at him, feeling her hair sticking to her cheeks. This was _so much worse _than what she had seen. "How could you be so stupid? We tried to tell you!" She continued, arms flailing wildly. "We tried to _stop you!_ But you were so _selfish!_" Archie and Shelly visibly recoiled – despite all the times May had faced them and their merry band of idiots, she had never been harsh with them. Sarcastic and rude, maybe, but she hadn't screamed at someone since she had last seen her father.

Nova, still tucked away in his PokeBall, shook with fury: fury for his Trainer, fury for what had happened, fury for the world. May tapped on him gently in an attempt to settle him, before turning her full attention back to Archie.

"Now the world is like this, and it's all because you couldn't listen," she hissed, sinking back into herself; numbness slowly settling back in.

They were all silent, for a few moments, only the sound of the pounding rain and their heavy breathing letting May know that they were all still there. She wasn't even sure when the rain had started. She kept silent as they spoke amongst each other, and stayed silent still even as Maxie approached her.

"As an adult, I feel I must first apologize for the way things have turned out," he said, bowing to her deeply. "I am truly sorry."

Scowling, her anger was easily found again. "Sorry won't do jack shit now," she told him, forcing herself to not shiver. Whether it was from the endless rain or from her anger, she couldn't tell, but it didn't matter. Any weakness was unacceptable, right now.

"Even so, I must ask for your assistance," Maxie continued, taking her heat in stride. "Won't you help us avert this crisis? If we work together, I believe we'll be able to overcome this ultimate threat. I will await your arrival in Sootopolis."

She didn't say anything, and he didn't wait for her response. He flew away quickly after finishing his speech, his Pokemon wobbling from the harsh winds. May stood there, violently shaking – when had she started doing that, she wondered – wind whipping all around her for Arceus knows how long. All of her PokeBalls shook, every single one with worry and concern for their Trainer, but she ignored them all to stare at the darkened sky.

It was then she saw Steven swoop down, his Skarmory recalled almost instantly once he landed.

"May!" He yelled, the splash of his feet snapping her out of her trance. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

Shaking her head, she almost wanted to laugh. "Nothing to apologize for," she said honestly. It was _her fault_. Steven had entrusted her to defeat Archie and his goons, and even though she had succeeding in doing that, she had still failed to stop him from unleashing the massive beast upon the world. She had been _right there_. She should've been able to do something, even though she knew she couldn't.

And now, the world would flood.

He looked around, his hair already sticking to him just like May's own. He must've been flying for a while, she realized in the back of her mind. "Terrible," he said, not meeting her eyes. "So this is what was being depicted in that painting in Granite Cave."

Easily, she recalled their first meeting again. _What simpler times, _she thought. Even just a day ago, things were simpler – she had been in Mossdeep, beating her seventh Gym. What had happened? It felt like a lifetime ago to her, now.

"If this doesn't stop, all Hoenn – no, the entire world – will drown. Nothing could live in such a world - neither Pokemon nor humans!"

Nodding glumly, May didn't say anything in response. She had put two and two together as well, as soon as it had begun happening.

"This huge rain cloud," he started again after a moment, and she turned to look at it, squinting her eyes against the sideways onslaught of rain. "Is it spreading out from Sootopolis?"

"That's where Maxie wanted me to go as well," May voiced out, feeling unhelpful, but Steven was a bit too stuck in his own head to register it. She didn't even mind, for once. She knew she was a bit as well. How could you not be when the world was falling apart around you?

Her throat felt raw and dry as she tried to swallow. That's what they were dealing with, now – the end of the world.

"Come on, Steven, think! What are you going to do?" He asked himself, and May walked over to him to put her hand on his arm. He didn't seem to notice, though his body turned towards her as he continued to speak. "No. There's no point in agonizing over the situation from here," he breathed out, and she could barely pick up on his voice over the rain. "I have to go to Sootopolis. There must be answers there."

Unsure of what made Sootopolis so special, May nodded anyway. It wasn't the first time she'd wished she was a Hoenn native. A little louder this time, slowly regaining her voice, she said, "That's where I'm heading as well. Maxie told me to go there to help."

"May," Steven sighed her name out. "I will count on you to help with this crisis. But, please," he begged, fully turned towards her now. Even with the storm, his blue eyes were still bright, and May felt her breath hitch in her throat. Their noses were practically touching, with her hand still on his forearm. "Promise me you won't do anything reckless."

"I can't promise that," she said, voice quiet, but she knew he heard her loud and clear. The way he looked at her so painfully then, she almost ripped herself away from him.

"Why did it have to be you?" His voice broke. "It's not fair, it should've been me. This is _my job_."

May didn't – couldn't, really – understand that. His job? What was his job? This was nobody's job, nobody's _duty_, as she had told him yesterday at his house. She just happened to be at the forefront of what was happening with Team Aqua; just by pure luck. But since she had been dealing with them, she knew she had to do _something_. There was no _duty_, or _job _here; it was just _do._

As he stared into her eyes, something clicked. He was staring _down_ at her – she was so much smaller than he was. In that moment, May couldn't help but feel like he still thought of her like a child. _This wasn't a child's job_, is what he was likely trying to tell her. There was no other reasonable explanation; as even Maxie had apologized for the work of adults, despite the fact that she was seventeen herself. Her mind played this on loop for a minute; _Steven feels bad, making some kid do all the work_. She scowled back at him, letting herself relish in a familiar feeling. Anger was normal, and she let it wash over her – at least she didn't feel so out of sorts, this way.

"Don't worry about it," she told him in a clipped tone, abruptly pulling her arm away. "I'm sure this _child_ will be able to fix it." Anger warmed her from the inside, and she breathed deeply, lungs feeling hot. _What does it matter, that I'm younger than him? _She thought to herself. It shouldn't mean much, considering she had just won her seventh Gym Badge before this had started; considering that before he got there, she had been battling Archie alone, on _his _request.

Releasing Sharpedo from her PokeBall into the harsh waters, May gave her Pokemon a meaningful look, deciding to ignore Steven entirely. "Can you do this?" She asked her Pokemon carefully. She knew the answer before she had asked, but she needed to check, just in case. She refused to be her parents, having decided long ago she would always give her Pokemon a choice.

Sharpedo stared into her trainer's eyes, looking alert and ready.

"Okay," May breathed out, taking one last look at the horrific scenery around her. The water was spiking hard with waves, the storm making the usually calm and beautiful Hoenn seas dangerous. "Okay. Let's do this."

Jumping onto her Pokemon's back and grabbing her dorsal fin, she finally turned to give one more look to Steven. "I'm going to Sootopolis," she said, forcing herself to drop the malice from her tone. She didn't know if she – or anyone, for that matter – would survive this. She didn't want to have her last interaction with—

Her last interaction with someone like Steven be so bitter, so angry. It was a welcome feeling, but something in her gut told her she should let it go. "Please wish me luck."

The rough skin of her Sharpedo dug into her hands, but she could barely feel it as she and Steven stared at each other again. May hadn't let herself admit it, or she had been moving too fast through her journey to realize, but despite only seeing him on occasion… She had a feeling she knew what that was. All of her Pokemon had known for quite some time, but she had adamantly refused to even think about it.

Until now. She wouldn't go traversing into her possible death until she had at least cleared the tension she had created.

It felt like hours and seconds at the same time; him staring at her while she stared back, but Steven finally smiled at her. May's heart shuddered in her chest with her realization, but she kept her face as blank as possible. Warmth – a much kinder warmth then before – flooded through her, despite the bitter cold rain.

"Oh, May," he said, voice oddly wistful. "How silly am I. It's always been you." His voice was nearly washed away, but May's ears picked out every word, as if they were the loudest thing in the world.

If she hadn't known any better, she might've thought that was a confession of some sort. She almost lost her balance on Sharpedo, something that hadn't happened since she first evolved. Her feet almost slipped right out from under her. Quickly, May regained her balance, still staring at Steven with her mouth now agape.

"I, uh," she stumbled over herself, trying to think of some sort of response. Usually talking to Steven came naturally to her, even it was about something serious – her mind flashed to their time on Southern Island, the first time she had really gotten to know him and how easy it was to speak to him – but this time, she found herself at a complete loss.

"Be safe, May," he continued instead, voice turning serious once again. "Please," he tacked on. She found it didn't send any anger through her, this time.

May nodded, still not able to form any words. She couldn't promise him, like she said earlier, but she would try. He deserved that much from her at the very least.

They stared at each other for another moment, before he reached for Skarmory's PokeBall. "Well then," he said, trying to smile. "I'll go ahead to Sootopolis. Good luck to you," he told her, and May nodded again, taking off on her Sharpedo into the hellish waters.

She didn't wait to watch him leave. She didn't want this to be the last time they saw each other, so she refused to let herself linger.

* * *

Once she had been surfing for a while, Sharpedo chortled at her trainer, and May's face went red again.

"Oh, shut up!" She told her Pokemon, but ended up laughing a moment later.

_What a time to realize you might like someone,_ she thought to herself, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time. She thought of the way he looked at her, at the end, when he said that it had always been her. It was so similar to her dreams, where his hands were hot on her own even with the cool atmosphere, and everything seemed to only make sense at his side. She'd been too numb, too angry, to realize the similarities, but it hit her like a slap to the face. He'd been wearing a different suit, and she was in that outfit she'd seen herself in every dream and episode, but it was so much the same.

And what he said… She didn't know what it meant, when he said that, but…

"I don't have time for that, right now," May breathed out, doing her best to stay focused on surfing through the harsh waves.

Sharpedo made a noise of understanding, struggling to be louder than the roaring waters, before steeling herself again as well. Maybe soon, they'd have time for that; time to figure out what all those looks and gifts and touches could mean, but right now, they had to save Hoenn. It wasn't anything yet, May knew, but maybe…

"Hopefully," May said to Sharpedo, "hopefully we can have time after."

She would do her best to make sure of it.

* * *

**Notes**

I will do my best to get chapter five out on **March 31st, **next Sunday, but I'm not sure if I'll have the mental energy. I will do my best though, so hopefully see you next week, and thank you for reading as always!  
(If I don't manage, the next chapter will without a doubt be **April 7th**, but hopefully y'all don't have to wait that long!)


	6. Chapter Five - Sootopolis City

**Notes**

Alright, I managed to get this out today. Luckily work was quiet, so I got the chance to finish it! I tried to get back to everyone who has reviewed this, but if I somehow didn't, please know that I appreciate you anyways! This week has been... unfortunately just as tough if not worse in some ways, so as last time, I was very happy to see each and every notification I got about this story. It was , again, a much needed pick me up, so thank you guys so much.

Hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and thanks as always for checking this out!

* * *

**Chapter Five: Sootopolis City**

On any other day, May would've loved Sootopolis City.

It was everything she'd ever dreamed of as a little girl, living by the water – the ocean surrounded the entire city, which was built into the rocks in the middle of nowhere. _Stunning _honestly seemed like too gentle of a word for such a city. She could understand why Trainers had to wait to go there; getting there wouldn't have been easy even without the storm raging on around them.

Today, unfortunately, was not any other day for her. The storm had been brutal, and the constantly shifting tides and spiking waves from the winds would've been difficult for a seasoned Trainer to navigate.

Sharpedo was exhausted by the time they arrived, and May quickly found the Pokemon Center despite the weather. Even amidst the crisis, all of Hoenn seemed to be trying its best to keep things together. There was something akin to pride in her chest as she looked around the lobby, seeing everyone doing their best to carry on as normal.

The Nurse Joy at the Center healed her team in record time, and like a flash May was out the door; shouting a hurried _thank you_ as she left. She had no time to hang around – she had to find Steven.

She had to find Steven.

Briefly, she considered stopping at the PokeMart she passed by, but didn't want to waste any more time. She was running on empty; all of her Pokemon, even though they had just been healed, were sure to feel the same. She wished she would've had the brain to open up her bag and check for something – anything – to eat or drink while they were inside the dry Pokemon Center, but the chance had already passed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of searching through the city, she spotted Steven, along with a green haired man who looked strikingly familiar. She prayed that a headache did not come and would at least have the decency to wait out the crisis. She didn't care at the moment how familiar he was, or what weird images she may have had of him in her head, she just wanted to get through what was going on first.

"May!" Steven called out as she approached, a relieved look on his face. She didn't even bother trying to muster a smile or a polite greeting, just lifted a hand up in greeting. "So you did come," he said, trailing off as he took a moment to look her up and down.

She nodded. "I did." Not that she _wouldn't _have, but she was beginning to learn that even with his flowery speech, Steven wasn't very good at expressing himself.

"I've been waiting for you," he continued, nodding back at her. "What terrible rain… it feels as though the entire world will be washed away."

May looked out at what should've been the beautiful ocean pond in the center of the city. It certainly did feel that way to her. Her skin felt like glue with the way everything was sticking to it; her hair and clothes practically a permanent fixture now. She didn't even remember what it was like for her head to not feel so _heavy_, with the water from the rain adding much more extra weight than she would've thought.

She shifted her gaze to the green haired man, giving him a once over quickly. _What a ridiculous outfit, _she couldn't help but think to herself. "Who's he?" She asked, pointing her thumb over to him. The man in question smirked, but she ignored him outright – he seemed too ridiculous for her to even want to deal with, right now.

"Ah, yes. You need to hear what my friend has to say," Steven told her, moving aside so he could take center stage.

May hid her surprise well – someone as formal as Steven considering someone as eccentric looking as he was his friend was… Honestly less of a surprise the more she thought about it, but the initial shock remained. Raising her eyebrows at the man, she waited impatiently for him to speak.

He held her gaze for a moment, before taking a deep breath and giving May a large smiled. Instantly, something in her felt irritated, but she held it down. Patience was a virtue, she reminded herself.

"My name is Wallace," he began, voice elegant and not at all what she was expecting. "I'm this town's Gym Leader. I've also been entrusted with the protection of the Cave of Origin," he said, and May blinked at his words. _Cave of Origin_? She had never heard of that, before; once again irritated by how little she truly knew about Hoenn.

He nodded, as if reading her mind. "This downpour is being caused by a power emanating from the Cave of Origin," he continued.

Something about that sounded oddly familiar to her, even though she'd never heard of it. Without even thinking about it, she pulled her bag from her side. "Wait," she stopped him, almost in a trance. "I have something."

Steven and Wallace both eyed her bag curiously, but to their credit, waited without a word. May fished around, trying hard not to completely soak the inside of her waterproof bag, until she found what it was she was looking for.

She pulled out something she'd never expected to have a use for, and Wallace's eyes went wide. "That is the Red Orb," he said. Steven, next to him, looked like she had shown him a real, actual ghost. "I see. Follow me."

Without any warning, Wallace took off down the stairs, leaving May scrambling to close her bag and catch up. Once she was moving, her attention shifted to Steven, who walked behind them, almost robotically. She was so focused on him she nearly walked straight into Wallace, but she caught herself quickly.

"Steven?" She asked. It was normal for him to live in his own head at least a little bit, she knew, but usually when push came to shove he was all there.

It wasn't like him to be this out of it, even with the crisis. Nothing about this situation was normal, May knew, but she needed _some _normalcy to keep her going.

"This rain, he said, looking towards the sky. If anything, the downpour had gotten even worse since the two of them had left Route 128, as terrifying as that sounded. "People and Pokemon need water to live. So why does this rain fill us with so much dread?"

He wasn't wrong. She'd always loved the water, but looking at it now, a cold fear replaced her usual thoughts. Even surfing to Sootopolis had filled her with such a sense of uneasiness that it had been difficult to concentrate.

"The rain clouds massing over Sootopolis keep building… soon they will extend over all of Hoenn," Steven continued, and May looked at him oddly. They were all aware of this, of course – that's why they were there. She wondered if this was his way of processing what was going on. She supposed this was a better place to do it then on some sand outside of the Seafloor Cavern that was said to house Kyogre. "If that were to happen…"

Wallace shook them both out of their thoughts. "We must continue," he urged them. "You are aware of what will happen if we do not."

May faced forward, away from Steven and away from her out of place thoughts. She had to _focus_, like Wallace had reminded her. Now was not the time for fear, or the time to linger on Steven. Now was the time for action.

* * *

They arrived at what May assumed to be their destination, though they had been beaten there by Archie, Shelly, and Maxie; the rest of the Team Aqua entourage nowhere to be seen. She didn't even flinch, but she was sure her glare was enough to keep them quiet, as Maxie went to speak but decided against it. There was a tense silence for a few moments, before Steven finally took the reins.

"Team Aqua," he said, surveying the two with a cool gaze. They didn't say anything, but Shelly looked down at her feet in shame, hair completely flattened by the rain. "And Team Magma."

"We've been expecting you," it was Maxie who spoke, after another few moments of nothing but the sound of pounding rain.

Wallace and Steven stayed silent, and May did as well – though she was sure their reasoning was different. She was scared that if she went to speak, she would just scream at Archie again like the last time they'd seen each other. It was hard to believe that hadn't been more than a day ago, at most.

A handful of hours, more likely. At that thought, a tiredness May hadn't been expecting settled into her shoulders.

"Archie," Shelly said, and she finally took time to _look _at her. She looked like a drowned Rattata; eyes having totally lost their shine. May had never really liked her, obviously, but some part of her hurt seeing the older woman like this. "I'm going to hand over the thing we developed to this kid. All right?"

May scowled, almost on instinct. "I am _not_ a kid," she hissed, and Shelly met her eyes in surprise. "I am going to deal with this mess you created, the least you could do is not call me a damn kid."

She had been a _kid_ for far too long. And now here she was, yet again, dealing with some mess that was encompassing the entirety of Hoenn, and she was still being called a child. May would be turning eighteen in just two months. She had been on her journey for _six months_, now, fighting back against Aqua; conquering almost every Gym in the region; capturing legendary Pokemon. The idea of still being considered a child was almost laughable.

Shelly went to go say something – what May hoped would've been an apology – but Archie cut her off before she got the chance. "Yes," he said, fixated on his hands. "The Aqua Suit. Take it."

Slowly, Shelly walked over to May, who glared at her the whole way.

"I'm sorry," Shelly told her, pushing something into May's palms. The material felt weird, almost like rubber, and yet not like it at all. "You're right. You're definitely not a child." Shelly smiled at her after handing her the suit, though she clearly struggled with it, before returning to her place at Archie's side.

"This super high performance protective suit was made with the combined technology of the Devon Corporation and Team Aqua!" She continued from next to Archie, forcing some cheer into her voice. May raised her eyebrows at that, glancing over at Steven. _Devon Corp? From what they stole, or… _"We actually prepared it in anticipation of coming into contact with Kyogre. I'll just leave it with you."

Staring at the suit in her hands, May wondered about Team Aqua. _Just what was this thing that they had made specifically for Kyogre? That _Devon _of all places had to get involved with making, in some way or another? _She'd always thought they were a bunch of thugs, but after this she had no idea what to really think of them anymore.

"But even if you put that thing on," Archie looked at May sharply as he spoke, "do you really think you'll be able to make it all the way down to where Kyogre waits?"

May gave him her best glare. After all this, after all her times of beating him and the rest of Team Aqua into the ground, he still had trouble believing in her? Even though everyone had somehow, silently decided that _she _was going to be the one to deal with Kyogre? She was here, wasn't she?

"The energy overflowing from this shrine is certainly more powerful than we had anticipated. Its influence is making the current grow stronger," Shelly said, looking at the shrine as she spoke. That was true, May realized – she could feel the power radiating from it. She had expected nothing less of a legendary Pokemon; one, no less, that was known to cause great destruction.

Wallace stepped forward, eyes narrowed at the three members of Team Aqua and Magma. "There is nothing to fear," he said, voice thick with authority. _Just who was this guy? _"The red orb she bears," he paused, gesturing towards May, the orb clutched firmly in her hands, rainwater flowing off of it in waves. "Its ancient powers will protect both the girl and her Pokemon."

Maxie looked alarmed, stepping forward to examine the orb she carried. On instinct, May hid it away from him. She didn't know why, but something about the orb screamed at her to not let anyone else have it. Clearly it was important – Wallace had just said it would protect her and her Pokemon after all – but there was more to it than that. Since she had gotten it, it had felt familiar to May; the same kind of familiar as her dreams did, or as meeting certain people or going certain places in Hoenn. It was a physical object that held that feeling, one that had been specifically gifted to her. It was no wonder she wouldn't let just anyone touch it.

"Hmph!" He grunted, stepping back from her and the orb. "So that's it! Now that you mention it, I do remember the elderly couple at Mt. Pyre saying such," Maxie said, still looking at the orb in May's hands. "The blue orb is capable of releasing Kyogre's full power, of reverting it to its primal form; while the red orb is capable of quelling that flood of power."

May, however, blanched. _Primal form? _She thought to herself. _That horrid thing depicted on the mural in Granite Cave? _She looked to Steven, but he looked away from her quickly, confirming her worst thoughts. She moved her gaze to the shrine she stood before, once again feeling the flow of energy. Swallowing hard, she lowered her eyes. _I really have to do this, don't I?_

Wallace looked at May before turning his attention back to the shrine, as well. "Yes," he said, voice heavy. "The energy overflowing from the Cave of Origin just now… it is the very energy that gives Kyogre its power. With the red orb," he motioned back to May again, finding her eyes. Standing her ground, she met his eyes best she could. "Which contains the power to suppress that, it should be possible to calm the force of this great flood. Of course, the red orb's power alone will not lead you to where Kyogre waits."

"What?" May frowned. What was she supposed to do, then?

"You will not reach Hoenn's Core that way. Use the suit that you were just given. With that, it will finally become possible to stand up against the forces of nature," he continued. As he spoke, there was so much ethereal power in his voice May almost flinched. Her head pounded at his words – a normal headache or one of her special ones, she wasn't sure; the exhaustion she'd felt earlier eating her slowly.

Staying quiet, May surveyed the group. Everyone else stayed quiet, as well, eyes all on the orb she cradled against her chest. It felt like hours until Steven turned to her, his voice so quiet she could barely pick it up against the rain.

"May," he said, using the same voice that he on Route 128. Her skin prickled at the tone, and she willed herself to ignore it. "To think that you had the red orb." Meeting his eyes, she saw him break out into a smile.

"All along, huh?" She tried to joke, thinking back on her journey thus far. Everything she had done had led her to this, whether she had known it at the time or not. Meeting Steven, fighting Team Aqua, going to Mt. Pyre when she did… Everything had been leading up to this moment. It felt surreal to her. If she had done just one thing differently – blown off Steven in Granite Cave like she'd originally wanted to, not accepted the orb from the couple on Mt. Pyre – who knows what might've happened.

"You'll be okay," he said, firmly. Somehow, she agreed. "You and your Pokemon can handle it, whatever happens. I believe that." His voice had become so quiet that May had to strain herself to hear the end.

Nodding at him, May did her best to smile. A small smile, but one that made his eyes widen. "Thank you," she told him sincerely, realizing she likely had never spoken to him so genuinely, before. Steven seemed to melt into her thanks.

There was so much she wanted to say, but she stopped herself with a gentle reminder that now wasn't the time.

But there would be time, she reminded herself again. She would make sure of it.

"No man or woman from Sootopolis is permitted to enter the Cave of Origin," Wallace began to speak again, snapping the two of out their small moment. May looked at the beautiful exterior of the shrine, and wondered briefly if it meant that she would be the first person to enter it. _How did they even know what was inside, then? _"But you must go. Together with the red orb. You must go regardless of what awaits you inside that cave."

Looking down at her hands again, tightly wrapped around the orb, she knew he was right. There would be no support from here on out. It would just be her and her Pokemon.

As if in response to that thought, Nova's PokeBall twitched at her hip, all her Pokemon following his idea after. They all knew, as May did, what they were going into. She was grateful – her Pokemon were truly the best friends she could've ever asked for. To think, that she had waited so long just to meet them.

"We will also work to mobilize our team members and offer help to the people and Pokemon who are suffering most due to this disaster."

Everyone turned to face Maxie in shock. He had been… extremely apologetic since the whole situation had begun, but to hear a former criminal decide to help out during a crisis he played a hand in creating? It was nothing short of a miracle.

May scowled at him, voicing as much. It's not like she didn't appreciate it – she did, most definitely, appreciate any help that was being utilized. It was just so unexpected, and her need for some normalcy was strong.

He scowled back at her easily. "Now is the time when we all must simply do the best that we can within our chosen roles," he told her, fixing his glasses. "And you, child—"

"I am not a child," she reminded them with a snarl, feeling more like a child in that moment then she had in weeks. She couldn't help it, though. Not really. They were asking her, most obviously the youngest and least experienced Trainer there, to go in and calm an ancient beast; one that they had brought back from its prison. How could they look at her and call her that, when it was their fault in the first place?

A beat, and then: "No, you're right," Maxie said, standing down after a moment with a bow. "You are not acting as a mere child today. Trainer!" He stood up straight. "I am sorry to say that we have put the greatest burden on your shoulders alone," he paused, and May truly felt his apology this time. She was sorry, too – sorry that she had to do this alone, sorry that she couldn't have stopped it. "But I trust you to take care of this."

May didn't say anything. The blind faith that everyone had put in her, was it warranted? Could she really do this? She looked around, her eyes falling on Archie. As soon as she caught his eye, he looked down again in shame.

"Sorry," he ground out, his voice sounding like gravel. "I'm begging you, so… save us. And the world. And Kyogre." The normally proud man dropped onto his knees, in the deepest bow May had ever received.

She sighed. "Stand up," she said, harshly. "I'll do it, okay? I'm going to." Her voice was hard, with no room for argument in her tone. "And when I get back, I want an actual, real apology."

In that moment, May decided she would forgive them for this. For putting her up to this. She had wanted to help; had wanted to prove herself for so long, that she had never even considered saying no during any of this. Not even once. When she and Steven had first talked in his house in Mossdeep, all she could think about then was what she could do to help in this situation. As it turned out, she was one of the most important pieces.

But still, she'd do it. She would never forgive him for releasing Kyogre. She would never forgive him for not listening to her. And she would never forgive them all for sitting back for so long, and letting this happen.

But she'd forgive them for bringing her into this. It was her own choice, really – to allow herself to become a part of this. She didn't have to. She could've told them no at any point. Though, she wondered, even if she had, would it have made a difference? She was still the one carrying the red orb. She doubted she could've passed that off to just anyone.

May shook her head, clearing her thoughts. It was no matter, right now. For now, she would forgive them. She couldn't promise herself that she'd still feel that way after they got out of this mess, but for now, before going in – she would be understanding. She would try her best to stay that way afterwards, when everything was said and done, too. She would be better than her parents: she would be _herself_.

Taking a step forward, May was intent on getting this whole thing over with. She didn't even get to take a second step however, when she heard footsteps come up behind her. "May!" She would recognize that voice anywhere. She didn't even bother turning around.

"Brendan?" She questioned, still facing the shrine. "What are you doing here?" She really didn't want to deal with him, right now. Sure, they had become… friends, if you could call them that, over the course of her journey. But he had no part in any of this.

She realized, then, she didn't _want _him to have a part in any of this. She didn't want more innocent people getting dragged into this.

"When I saw the news about Sootopolis on my BuzzNav, and there you were, May," he said, smiling sheepishly, "well, anyways, all I could think of was coming to help! You don't know how glad I am to see you're still in one piece."

May, blunt as always, groaned out loud. Of _course_. Brendan didn't really know how to stay out of other people's business, she'd long ago realized. Especially when it came to her own. She appreciated the thought – she wasn't heartless, even if she still didn't really like him much – but he could not have picked a worse possible time to have showed up. His Pokemon weren't strong enough to help, if their last battle was a good indicator, and he had no idea of anything going on. She couldn't understand, really, why he had rushed over here.

"Is that Team Aqua? And Team Magma!?"

"Yes," May ground out. _Why was he always like this?_

"Okay, I don't really know what to say right now," he laughed, and May held back another groan. Wallace looked bemused, and Steven…

Steven wasn't looking at them. In fact, it seemed like he was looking everywhere _but _at the two of them.

"I'm kind of dumbfounded," Brendan continued, laughter still in his voice.

May turned around, finally, going to tell him that she appreciated the thought but she _really _needed to go, now, when he smiled brightly at her, disarming her completely. He was always full of grins and laughter but he had never looked at her like _that _before. Whatever she had been going to say was wiped from her mind.

"Look, I get that this is probably something way bigger than I've ever imagined. So I won't bother with any questions now. I'm gonna find out what I should do to help, and then I'm going to do whatever I can. You better go do the same, May," Brendan said, his smile slipping off his face as he spoke. Now may was the one dumbfounded. She'd never known him to be mature – though she supposed, she didn't really know him at all. "I'll always be right there behind you. You're my best friend, after all!"

May took a deep breath, swallowing down whatever rudeness she had in her after that last line. "Thank you," she told him honestly, voice hoarse. "I appreciate it." It wasn't sure, but she did – even if he was annoying, the fact that she had someone supporting her in that way meant a lot.

She had met a lot of people through her journey – nobody she'd truly call a friend, really, but the fact that despite how mean she'd originally been to him, that Brendan thought of her like that… Well, it meant something.

"I have to go now," she said after a moment, though she looked to Steven as she spoke. He nodded at her, trying very hard to look put together. "I'll do my best."

And she would. She wouldn't let them down – she couldn't. Moving to grip the red orb in one hand, her other hovered over her still shaking PokeBalls. She could do this. She would.

* * *

Kyogre fell into the pool, fainted, and the world around May shook.

Nova, her only remaining Pokemon, clutched his Trainer's shoulders as she, too, fell to the ground, scraping her knees against the jagged ground.

The beast had almost killed her. The beast had almost killed her beloved friends – her precious companions, her Pokemon. They hadn't wanted to stop. She kept trying to return them when they reached their limits, let them rest at least for a little bit, but they all kept trying to attack.

There had been no rules in that fight. No Trainer to battle against. It was not the usual one on one, normal Pokemon battle for fun. This had been a no holds barred, fight to live battle. May's Pokemon had seen that from the moment the beast had shrieked at her, and when she had tried to only use one at a time, they had all popped out of their PokeBalls and refused to go back to safety.

Tropius, her poor Tropius, more than likely had a broken leg. His beautiful wings looked tattered and worn, worse than May had ever seen. Her Sharpedo had lost teeth, and Metang – her special Metang, a Pokemon that had been gifted to her at the beginning of her journey – was completely unconscious. Not just _fainted_, it had fallen unresponsive. She had been lucky to get it back into its PokeBall; it had been trying to shield its Trainer from that beast's terrible Origin Pulse. Altaria and Yena were both bruised and bloody. This was not how Pokemon should fight, May had thought the entire time. It was nothing short of horrific.

On her knees against the ground, May wept, the world shaking around her. The world could wait for her, she had decided, screaming out into the empty cavern in front of her. Nova held onto his Trainer tightly, careful not to dig his talons into her bare skin, as she screamed until she lost her voice.

The world could wait, another minute, for May to grieve.

* * *

Finally, finally, May stood, shaking all the way up. She didn't let Nova take no for an answer as she held out his PokeBall. When he tried to refuse, she just shook her head slowly, the movement tired and drained.

"Please," was all she said, and instantly her starter Pokemon resigned. He had never heard her voice like that before, and he wouldn't do anything to cause his Trainer unnecessary pain. She was so grateful for him.

Walking through the Cave of Origin, May was careful not to linger. The Max Repel that she had used earlier was still going strong, luckily, so she didn't have to fight off any wild Pokemon yet. She didn't think she or her Pokemon could handle it, anyway.

When she got to the surface, she almost fell again, but Steven and Brendan both swarmed her before she could. She didn't bother steeling her face like she normally would. Her very bones hurt. Her entire body was weary and dead. She needed to get to the Pokemon Center, more than anything.

"May!" Brendan called out first. May blinked at him, and he looked taken aback by her. She wondered what she looked like, then. She certainly felt like she had died. "So it's all over," he said after a moment, and she nodded in a daze.

Yes, she thought. It was all over. Kyogre had fallen. There was sun shining over everyone, warming May's soaked clothes and skin. She shivered involuntarily.

She needed to get to the Pokemon Center.

"May, we owe you great thanks." That was Steven. May turned her eyes towards him, and he gave her a smile that she wasn't sure how to return. "Look above you. The sky over Sootopolis has returned to normal."

She wasn't sure whether he was saying that because he liked to hear himself talk, or whether she really looked bad enough that he thought she might not have even noticed. Regardless, May nodded along slowly. She didn't trust herself to speak. Her mouth felt full of cotton, anyways. She crept towards the center of the platform, trying not to be noticed.

If she looked at the water surrounding her for too long, she knew she would throw up.

The three of them watched as Maxie, Archie, and Shelly spoke amongst each other. May could barely make out what they were saying, though both Steven and Brendan were smiling at them. Her ears were ringing too loudly to hear much, right now.

Brushing a hand against her waist, her fingers moved against her PokeBalls. She needed to get to a Pokemon Center.

May didn't register a single honeyed word Maxie said, barely picking up on bits and pieces about having to reconsider what he and his team was doing. She nodded along, not taking in anything at all. Why did everyone keep talking, she wondered. She needed to get to a Pokemon Center.

Archie came to her next, and something inside May snapped when he called her "little scamp" again. When he handed her the blue orb, she laughed. Her throat felt like it was being ripped to shreds as she did so, but she kept laughing, though nobody else joined in. Shelly threw her an odd kind of half smile that May didn't return, and Brendan looked at her like she had grown two heads next to her own; but she kept laughing.

It took a few minutes until her laughs turned shallow. May breathed in ragged bursts, looking Archie in the eyes. "Control Kyogre?" She asked him, having registered that part of his speech. "I didn't even catch it."

The words clawed their way up her throat before she even had a chance at stopping them. Everyone looked at her in shock, but she just shook her head; wet hair flinging drops of cold water wildly. "I'll keep this, though," she said, gesturing to the blue orb she now held in her hand. She didn't feel like she was speaking at all.

She didn't even want to keep the orb, not really. Any reminder of that battle was one she wanted to bury. She wasn't even sure why she had said that; or if she'd really spoken at all. But Archie couldn't have it again. She wouldn't let him. Kyogre slept peacefully, after nearly killing her and everyone else, probably back in the Seafloor Cavern. May refused to let anyone wake it ever again, if she could help it.

Catch it? She almost burst into another fit of laughter. May would rather die than have to take care of it.

She shivered again, suddenly feeling the cold seep through her clothes and cling onto her skin. She needed to get to a Pokemon Center.

Everyone let what she had said – had she even said it? – slide, and Archie and the other two left together. She turned to leave, but Steven's voice stopped her, again.

"Team Magma and Team Aqua are made up of people with completely opposing ideals and goals. But perhaps even they can learn to meet halfway," he said, smiling uneasily. "One small concession at a time. I know it's too much to expect that everything will change at once, but… I hope this crisis might at least help them take that first vital step forward."

The way he and Brendan looked at May then made her think they expected her to smile, or to agree, or to say something – anything – at all. She tried opening her mouth again, but nothing came out. She didn't even have the energy to be concerned about that.

"I imagine that many changes are happening now all across Hoenn," Steven continued, his eyes searching for something in May's own. She didn't know what it was he was looking for, but she hoped he found it, all the same. She didn't think she could find anything in her own eyes, right now. "I hope you will be able to travel this world and see its richness with your own eyes – and revel in the newness in your own heart."

His words fell over May the same way everyone else's had, but she nodded along anyways. She even attempted a small smile, though she was sure it didn't come out as one. She took her shoes off, then, too. They were wet.

"But for the present, you may first wish to challenge this city's Pokemon Gym." May didn't want to think about such things right now. "There, you'll find the very same Wallace who helped us so much waiting for you. He's strong. But the way you are now, you should be capable of battling him on equal footing," Steven continued, and she just nodded some more. Twelve hours ago, maybe even five, May would've been thrilled at the praise. She would've been thinking all day about battle strategies, talking it out with her Pokemon at the Center and stocking up on Potions at the PokeMart. Before this, May would've ran straight for the Gym after he finished speaking.

Battling sounded like a foreign entity to May, now.

But Steven didn't pick up on her thoughts. Or if he did, he didn't say anything about them. May wasn't sure which, or whether she should be grateful or aggravated. She didn't feel much, right now. Instead, however, Steven pulled something out of his suit jacket, and put a beautiful flute into the hand that wasn't holding the blue orb.

"And when you travel the world, you should try to use this," he told her. "This flute is one of my favorite items."

Hearing that actually did bring something to May's face. Her smile wasn't full, and it didn't even come close to reaching her eyes or stretching across her face, but it was something. It felt alien, and she let it drop rather quickly, but Steven didn't say anything about that, either.

Vaguely, she thought she had something she needed to be doing.

"This Eon Flute is proof of the bond between you and your Latias. No matter how far you may be from one another, play that flute and Latias will surely fly straight to you," Steven said, and this time, May's ears actually picked up fully on every word, not having to fill in the blanks. "Then it can take to the sky, soaring above the land with you astride its back." May's eyes flashed for a moment, and at that, Steven's own lit up. "Yes, just like when we first encountered Latios and Latias at Southern Island.

"People, Pokemon, nature itself… our survival in this world depends on all of us living together in harmony. I feel I have just begun to understand that," he confessed, and slowly, May felt her brain start to kick back to life. One gear at a time, as if putting a puzzle together, the cogs began to turn and thoughts started to form again. "And I am wondering how the world will continue to change from this point on. It fills me with an inexplicable excitement."

May hadn't even realized Brendan was still there until she caught his eye. He quickly looked away from her, though she didn't understand why. She didn't understand much right now, though; so maybe she would soon. Once she felt like she was operating her own body, again. What was it that she needed to do?

"May," Steven started again, and she found his blue eyes easily. "As you and your Pokemon live and grow in this changed world, I wonder what effect it will have on you. What will you think about? What ideals will you believe in?"

"I wonder the same about you," May breathed out, sounding more like herself then she had since this whole mess had started.

The more her thoughts returned to her, however, the more she realized she needed to do something. What was it? Now was not the time to think about Steven, or to wonder about how he'll deal with everything after this mess. It was becoming a familiar mantra for May at this point, and even in her shaken state, one she understood.

Steven smiled, one of those rare smiles he had – soft and gentle, and completely mysterious to May, still. "If we get the chance to meet again, I hope you will be able to show me and my team the answers you've found."

"I know we will," she said, her voice coming back to her a little more. Somehow, Steven always made it easy to find herself; and she found that she didn't mind that at all.

He opened his mouth again, but she never heard what else he sad to say.

She felt her eyes close without her permission, and the ringing in her ears finally became too loud to ignore. There was a quick _whoosh_ from inside her head, and then everything went dark.

* * *

May awoke in the Pokemon Center, Nova at her side.

Immediately, she gasped for air, clutching the bed sheets. "What happened?" She managed to get out, her throat feeling like sandpaper. Looking around her wildly, she found her brain couldn't take a single thing in.

She was at a Pokemon Center, that much she knew, but everything inside of her screamed _run_. Nova's taloned hand gently pushed her back onto the bed, and she tried her best to calm herself with a few deep breaths. Even breathing hurt her throat, though.

He squawked at his Trainer softly, and May understood that, at least. _Safe now_.

She held his hand and slowly closed her eyes again. She would deal with everything else later, she thought, as she faded out of consciousness once more.

Later.

* * *

**Notes**

Wow, that was a lot! Hope you guys enjoyed, and thank you so much again for reading. Next chapter should be out **April 6th**, next Sunday, but I'll update this note if for whatever reason I'm having trouble. See you next time!


	7. Chapter Six - Ever Grande City

**Notes**

Hello, and happy Sunday! Sorry for any confusion by the way, I know I said April 6th in last week's note, though today is the 7th. I'm just dumb sometimes, haha. Thanks so much as always for all your kind words and favorites/follows. It really means so much to me, and has been a really lovely thing to see in my email when I've been trying to feel like a real person again, aha.

All that aside, wish me luck! At 22, I'm finally taking my permit test tomorrow, lmao. I've been putting it off for _forever_ because I'm really bad at tests, so :')

That being said, hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Please make sure you read the note at the end this time around haha. Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Six: Ever Grande City**

The Pokemon League.

It was the kind of challenge May had been looking forward to her entire life, practically. When she used to sit and watch Pokemon battles on TV, they were always of the Indigo League, and every time she'd be on the edge of her seat in anticipation. It was something she'd thought about doing for a long time – she could remember the very first time she sat down to watch a League battle with her father, sitting on his lap and _ooh_ing and _aww_ing at everything she saw. She could remember thinking to herself, even at that age, that there was nothing more she wanted.

And now, she was here.

* * *

Two months. It had been two full months since the entire ordeal with Team Aqua and the Cave of Origin. She would've reached Ever Grande City earlier, since it didn't take many tries – just one – to win her eighth and final badge, but before Ever Grande was Victory Road.

It took her almost the entire two months to convince herself to go in.

The battle she had with that beast had taken much more out of May then she would've liked, or could even admit, at first. For the first two weeks, she had tried to live on normally; as if none of it had ever happened. She didn't capture it, after all. Just fainted it so it could calm down; so theoretically, nothing had actually changed for her.

Except everything _did_ change.

She spent her eighteenth birthday stagnant like a statue. Night time now terrified her. She could barely even go out in the rain without thinking of what had happened. During the entire situation, she hadn't so much as flinched while down in that cave, but as soon as she had collapsed that day…

She'd fallen apart completely. Her _life_ had almost ended. The entire Hoenn region could have been submerged, if she hadn't put a stop to it. The lives of everyone she had ever met on her journey, everyone she had ever battled or spoken to, had been put on her shoulders that night, and she still hadn't been able to process that properly.

Her Pokemon had almost _died_, trying to protect their trainer.

May thanked every higher power that could've possibly existed – except for _that _one – every day that they had all made it through okay. Nurse Joy in Sootopolis had done a lot of work, apparently, while she was out. Everyone, all of her team members, were recovered now. They were able to battle Wallace within a week, though she had waited two.

Being surrounded by water made her skin crawl, now.

Though she hadn't experienced the same type of episodes that she was so accustomed to, now, since the Cave of Origin, she still couldn't sleep. Instead of dreams that were more like nightmares, warning her of things to come, she was now plagued at night by dreams of things that actually _happened_. It was her, in her normal clothes with her actual Pokemon team, facing off against the beast as rain threatened to drown the world outside.

It was worse, in almost every way.

Three months ago, she would've taken her time in Victory Road, despite the fact that even back then, caves put her on edge. She would've had fun battling all the Trainers, going through all the challenges with her Pokemon.

Now, May had sped through the cave as quickly as possible; barely even giving even _Wally_ the time of day when he had met her at the end.

And Steven…

He hadn't so much as contacted her once, since he had allegedly brought her into the Pokemon Center that day. He had her number – Wallace had told her as such – so really didn't have an excuse; and May couldn't understand why. She needed, so desperately, to talk with someone who understood, who she could be real with. She'd barely felt _real _in weeks.

After arriving on the island via Latias and seeing Victory Road for the first time, May had flown straight back to Wallace's house and cried like a newborn baby for hours. Anyone who was there, during everything, had become her safety net. She'd even found herself at the Team Aqua base more than she'd ever expected in the last two months, just to talk. She still didn't like Shelly, hadn't forgiven Archie, but it was better than trying to pretend she was still normal. Even if going underwater sent her into a panic – at least they _knew_. At least when she arrived, they knew how to handle it.

All of Hoenn had deemed May their hero, and coming by peace in a Pokemon Center was now something she only dreamed about. She had long since started flying to her Secret Base on Route 120, using Latias to fly directly to the tree she'd chosen, tucked farthest away from the paths. The effect of battling Kyogre had started to fade, but it was still so _hard_ some days. She couldn't just tell people to go away anymore; they all had expectations of her, to be someone she wasn't. Someone who fit their definition of what "Hoenn's Hero" should be like, should act like.

Desperately, May wished Steven would talk to her. The normalcy that he had always graced her with was something she missed, dearly.

Sighing, she allowed herself to snap back into the present as she refocused her gaze on the door in front of her. The last room before her was the Champion's Room, and she should be excited about it – not… whatever she had been, lately. It was still her dream, after all.

She had barreled her way through the Elite Four, and she deserved to be happy about making it this far; yet here she was, thinking about Steven. May shook herself, and Nova did the same. Now was still, definitely, not the time for those thoughts.

She was getting sick of that mantra.

Nova gave her a look, and she instantly knew what he was thinking. "I'm ready," she said, and his gaze turned skeptical.

May scowled. Her Pokemon knew her too well, it seemed. Especially Nova. "Okay, fine," she conceded. "I'm not exactly ready, but what other choice do we have?"

Nova nodded thoughtfully at her words. There was no turning back once you started the League Challenge, and if his Trainer wanted to leave, she would have to do all four of those draining battles all over again. She didn't want to think about that, he knew – battling was still harder for her than she would've liked, but she was working on it.

Her being there was proof enough of that.

"Are you ready?" She asked him, voice steadying as she spoke. Her first Pokemon, her best friend, nodded easily at her, completely sure of himself and his Trainer.

He'd been with her since her very first day here. There was no one she trusted more, and she was eternally grateful that trust went both ways. Even if she was scared, her Pokemon would without a doubt pull her through. She could do this.

May breathed out. "Okay."

She opened the doors, prepared to take on whatever challenge lay before her.

* * *

"Welcome, May." She wasn't sure she had heard right, but as soon as she registered the voice, she wasn't sure why she was even surprised.

She should've known. She really, truly, should've known all along. Everything fell into place quickly in her head as soon as her ears heard his voice. Why Brawly knew him, why he seemed to be everywhere there was trouble, why he would be speaking to Tate and Liza that day so long ago, his friendship with the eighth Gym Leader – everything.

"It's you," May said, breathing hard. She didn't know what else to say, what else to feel. She was angry – angry that he hadn't spoken to her in two months, angry that he hadn't told her who he was all this time, despite knowing and encouraging her to aim for his position. She was sad. She was happy to see him.

Her mind was a total mess, and she wasn't sure she even had a chance at beating him, like this. Nova's taloned hand found her shoulder, keeping her steady.

"I was hoping I would get to see you make it here one day," Steven said, his voice the same wistfulness that she had heard on Route 128. She wanted to scream. Or something.

"Here I am," she supplied instead, extremely unhelpfully. Her brain was moving a mile a minute, not able to figure out where to land.

Steven, to his credit, just chuckled. Being in his presence again was… it was something. Even just his reactions at her uncertainty was making her feel... May didn't want to say better, but she wasn't sure what else to go with.

"Tell me," he said, sweeping his arms away from him in a grand gesture, "what have you seen on your journey with your Pokemon? What have you felt, meeting so many other Trainers out there? Traveling this rich land of Hoenn," he trailed off, his bright eyes finding May's with ease, "has it awoken something inside of you?"

There was no response from May. Her eyes didn't narrow, she didn't move an inch at all. Just looked at him – really looked at him – for the first time in two months. He didn't smile, almost as if he understood. Just looked back at her, too.

"I want you to come at me with all that you've learned," Steven continued. "My Pokemon and I will respond in turn with all that we know!" He raised a PokeBall up from his belt as he finished.

May didn't know his team, she realized, though he knew hers. She knew that he liked Steel-types, and she knew about his Skarmory and Metang, but that was all. Though, she almost smiled wryly to herself, she had a distinct feeling that Metang was not a part of his Champion line up.

May did nod, this time, and Nova moved from her side to stand in front of her. "Don't hold back," she told him, her voice hard as stone. She would never forgive him if he did.

Steven nodded, more seriously then maybe even in front of the Cave of Origin. She knew, in that moment, she would experience the truth about him – the truth that he had been hiding from her since they had first met, that fateful day, all the way back in Granite Cave.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said honestly, before smiling again. "Let it begin!" Steven's voice bounced off the walls of the giant room, and May jumped right into her first command as soon as his Skarmory materialized.

She would not lose.

* * *

By the end of the match, she was breathing hard, lungs aching. Most of her team had been wiped out – only Nova and her Sharpedo were still awake. She kept holding her fallen member's PokeBalls, just checking to make sure she could still _feel _them. This was something she had to do, now, after what had happened. Steven didn't make a single comment on it.

May stared him down from across the field. He hadn't pulled any punches. His Mega Metagross, stronger than almost anything May had ever taken on, was a monster. She had only managed to beat it by Mega Evolving Nova at the last second before he fainted, creating a huge speed boost that Mega Metagross could never hope to counter.

"So I, the Champion, fall in defeat," Steven said after a moment to regain his own breath. He smiled at her, open and honest, as he walked over to her side of the field with some money held out for her. The room around them began to reconstruct itself – which was something May knew she'd be asking about later – as she walked slowly to meet him in the middle.

He was the Champion, alright.

She was utterly exhausted. The battle was draining, incredibly so, but she had to keep going. _She _was the Champion now. May let herself smile at that, just a little, before it quickly turned into a grin as she held Nova close to her side. She was the Champion now. Despite everything, it was something that she had still desperately wanted. Something that still felt like a wild, far off dream.

"Just as I have come to expect," Steven continued after she had taken her prize money. "May, you are truly an excellent Pokemon Trainer! Congratulations to you!"

There was still some anger in her, but for a moment, she let it go and allowed herself to smile at him, completely unabashed. She may not forgive him for not contacting her at all after Sootopolis, and her heart may still be heavy with what had happened, but in this moment she was too happy to care.

"Thank you." May's heart was full, for what felt like the first time in a long, long time.

"And thank you," he responded in kind. "I had wanted to learn how you feel about this world, what kinds of ideals you have developed with your Pokemon," he paused, looking at May's still Mega Evolved starter Pokemon. "I feel I was able to find the answer in our battle. The feelings you have for your Pokemon, and the way that your Pokemon gave their all in battle in response to those feelings," he paused again for a moment, and May began to reflect on his words.

In that battle, she thought she could understand him, too. She understood his loneliness, the kind of escape that battling and caving brought to him, the love he shared for Hoenn with his Pokemon. She could understand that he hadn't even necessarily _meant _to become Champion; it had just been something that happened, after so much time battling together.

It had been said, many times, that one could truly understand another person through Pokemon, and May supposed that was true. In the hour or so that she had taken to fight Steven, she had understood more about who he was then in all the times they had met before.

"Those two together created a great power," Steven finished after a moment, and May nodded along. She understood. "That is how you seized victory today. I felt a thrill of excitement in my breast when we first met, and now I know for sure that feeling was not misplaced!"

May's heart skipped a beat in her chest, and her face flushed without her consent. When he said things like that, it was very easy for her to think that the feelings she had developed for him were returned.

"You are rightfully the Hoenn region's new—"

"May!" A voice called out, interrupting them, and she turned around in shock. May knew that voice, easily – but what was he doing here?

"Before you go to challenge the Champion, I've got one last thing you've got to—"

May coughed into her hand obnoxiously, cutting him off. Somehow, it felt like ever since she recognized _why _exactly she got so flustered around Steven, Brendan was poking his head into her business more than before. He'd only actually interrupted them once before, sure, but in the last two months he'd been one of the only people besides Wallace to call her on the regular. She glanced over to Steven, only to find his eyes narrowed at Brendan. _That's new_, she thought.

"May, you didn't, you couldn't have," Brendan stumbled over himself, looking between the two of them, quickly observing the lack of battling and the sweat stuck to May's forehead. "Did you already beat the Champion?!"

Letting out a sigh, she didn't even bother answering. She thought this might be the one place she could be free from his obliviousness, but she supposed it was just her luck. _How did he even get in here? _She wondered. She opened her mouth to ask, but was interrupted by the appearance of his father. _Oh,_ she easily understood. _That's how_.

"See?" The professor let out one of his famous boisterous laughs. "What did I tell you, Brendan? Didn't I tell you May would be just fine?" He smiled at her, and she gave him a tight lipped one in return. She appreciated it, really, but wished they would have waited; for many reasons.

"May, you've finally done it," the professor continued. "When I heard you defeated your own father at the Petalburg Gym –" Steven sharply inhaled, and she looked over at him, confused. She wondered, briefly, if he hadn't known somehow that she was Norman's only child. He hadn't been the only one keeping secrets, she supposed, though hers had been unintentional. "—I thought perhaps you had a chance," Birch trailed off, before grinning at May again. "But to think you've actually become the Champion! Congratulations on your victory!"

He laughed again, and May couldn't help but laugh a little with him, this time. It still felt pretty surreal to her, if she were to be honest. She was only eighteen, and newly eighteen at that. And now she was Champion? She had started her journey almost a year ago, now. It really, honestly, didn't feel real.

"Now go in there with your head held high," the professor continued, and she looked to where he was facing – the door that sat behind Steven, looking almost untouched.

Steven looked at her then, though whatever light had been in his eyes during their private conversation had since left. May frowned at that, without meaning to.

"May," he said, before trying again, attempting to regain his enthusiasm. "No, I should call you the Hoenn region's new Pokemon League Champion." At this, he did smile at her genuinely. She returned it with ease, still riding on the high of actually _winning_. "Come with me, Champion." He held out his hand for her to take, and she did so with no hesitation.

His hand was so warm against her own, skin calloused from all the caving he did, but yet somehow still very, very soft. It felt just like it had in her dreams; dreams that she now knew were of Route 128, during the downpour caused by Kyogre. Even with those thoughts, she felt safe with her hand in his, for the first time in what felt like a millennia.

Brendan attempted to follow them, out of obliviousness if May had to guess, and Steven paused awkwardly. "I'm very sorry," he said, not at all sounding very sorry, "but only a Trainer who has successfully become the Champion may go beyond this point. You'll need to wait outside with the Professor."

"Whaaa?" Brendan asked, his hands going behind his head in a sign of surrender. "Can't be helped, I guess. Them's the rules, right?" He grinned at her, and this time, with her hand still firmly placed in Steven's own, May found herself smiling back easily. "That's awesome, May. Congratulations, really!"

"Thank you," she told him, and she meant it. She appreciated how much he cared, and how much time he'd spent trying to make sure she was alright over the last two months. He'd been the only one to wish her a happy birthday, even. She may have found him annoying most of the time, but she had never really had any friends growing up, so part of her wondered if that was just her adjusting. The fact that he had been willing – and was still willing – to stick by her despite how rude she'd been to him was… amazing, to her.

May turned, then, following Steven into the room; her heart feeling lighter than it had since the rain weighed it down.

* * *

Taking her time to look around the room, May was in awe. It was beautiful. The lighting, the marble, everything was gorgeous.

"This room," Steven said as she looked around, "this is where we maintain the records of Pokemon that prevailed through the harshest of battles. It is here that League Champions are honored."

May nodded, still trying to catalogue everything. "Hall of Fame, right? This is really cool." _Cool _was the understatement of the century. Nova even looked impressed, having finally faded out of his Mega Evolved form. She couldn't believe her Pokemon was even still standing, but he refused to go back in his PokeBall. It was her fault, she guessed, for keeping him out so often.

"Come," Steven smiled at her. "We will use this machine to record your name and the names of the partners who battled along with you to triumph over the Pokemon League!"

Nodding, May took out Nova's PokeBall, much to his disappointment. He gave her a look as she returned him, to which she rolled her eyes. Putting her PokeBalls on the machine, she turned to Steven.

"So what does this mean, now? I know I have new… responsibilities," she questioned, tentatively. It was common knowledge that the Champion more or less ran the region they belonged to. She didn't think she was ready for that, all by herself. She had only _just_ turned eighteen, and she was still practically new to Hoenn. She may have been around the region in its entirety, but did she really know anything about the people? What they needed or wanted? She couldn't say for sure.

Besides, her eyes flicked to her shoes in shame, she was still trying to pick herself back up. How was she expected to be responsible for an entire region of people when she couldn't even hold herself together, most days?

Steven nodded in thought. "Don't worry," he said. "You have a few options. If you don't want the responsibility, I suppose I could continue being the Champion. Or, you can either push yourself right into the roll. There is also the option of moving into it slowly, with myself acting as your mentor. I, even, had a mentor for quite some time."

"You did?" Though it wasn't what she should be focusing on, the question slipped out of her mouth anyways. May couldn't believe that – Steven was always so down to earth and put together. The fact that someone so private, someone who wouldn't even tell her his last name, had a mentor for this was a foreign concept.

"I did," he confirmed. "I of course wouldn't mind helping you. It's a bit of getting used to, certainly."

Really, May still didn't know anything about being the Champion, if she were to be honest with herself. She wasn't sure how much she could do for Hoenn on her own. And despite feeling so… ostracized and isolated, since Kyogre, she still desperately wanted to give back properly to the region. She had met all her Pokemon, her first real friends, and of course _Steven_, because of Hoenn. She wanted to do her best, even if part of her – a large part of her – was still bitter and angry with the world, and what they had expected her to do.

It might be good for her, she thought, to heal. "Okay," she said to Steven, a familiar feeling beginning to swell in her chest. "I'll do it."

* * *

It had been a long, long day. Brendan and May had battled, after she had returned to Littleroot, and just like with Steven, May thought they both understood each other a little better, now. He had told her that they would always be friends, and she had – surprising herself most of all – returned the kind sentiment. To her, he had seemed almost sad after their battle. He had said that their journey had been fun, and while May didn't exactly agree, using the last few months as a reference, she wasn't sure how to say no to him, in that moment.

Brendan then also said, out of the blue, that Steven seemed like a good guy. May wasn't really sure _why _– it was truly random in her mind, and she wondered vaguely if they even knew each other, past that one time outside of the Cave of Origin. She agreed nonetheless, but it still lingered on her mind, even now.

Steven hadn't apologized, not in words, for not speaking to her since that mess, but after their battle, May understood.

He felt guilty.

It didn't take away from what he did, from what she had done in his place, but May believed that she _got it_ now. From what Wallace had told her, as well, his hands had been tied once she had the orb, anyway. And about him not contacting her…

Truthfully, she got that part. Part of her hadn't been ready to talk to him, either, even if she wanted to. Part of her ached every time she spoke to Wallace, despite only finding comfort in someone who had _been there_; it was hard, but she understood now that ache would've been much worse had it been Steven. Steven, likely, felt the same – that maybe it would've been too much for him to bear, as well.

Blinking blearily, May looked around her room, trying to clear her thoughts. It looked like it had barely been used, since she guessed she really hadn't ever used it, but she noticed that even still, it was dust free.

Laying in her own bed, for the first time in almost a year, felt weird to her. Her mother had greeted her as if nothing had ever happened, and May had been too shocked to even know what to do about that. They hadn't spoken a single time since May had left. Not even a text message, or a simple phone call.

She didn't know how to feel, but she'd ended up staying there for the night anyways, because she was too exhausted to do anything else. But after this night? May wasn't sure what she'd do, or where she'd go. She knew, though, that she couldn't stay there.

But she'd seen everything there was to see in Hoenn. She had literally saved the region from sure destruction. She'd beaten all eight Gyms, any Trainer she came across, and even became the new Hoenn League Champion. There was not a city or town she hadn't visited. She didn't know where else in the region there was for her to _go_.

Nova was on the floor next to her bed, looking all too big for her room but tolerating it anyway, still refusing to go back into his PokeBall. The familiar sight of her partner Pokemon put May's mind at ease, if only just a little, and she allowed her eyes to finally close.

She would figure it out tomorrow.

* * *

**Notes**

Hope you guys liked this chapter! This marks the end of the **first act **of this fic! I'd call it the first half, but the second part is actually much longer, haha. So next Sunday, **April 14th**, there will be an... intermission chapter, of sorts, and then a week long break. I wouldn't normally do the break, but actually, it lines up very well with a convention I'm going to for that weekend, haha. I doubt I'd have time to properly edit the chapter that week anyways, since I've got to finish my cosplays still;;

Anyways, thanks for reading, as always! I really appreciate it. See you guys next week, again on **Sunday, April 14th**, for the next chapter!


	8. Intermission

**Notes**

Hello, and welcome back! This will be the first of **two chapters **today!

Yes, it's Monday, not Sunday, and I'm sorry about that. I'm also sorry for the longer delay than I wanted! Real life has been kicking my ass, and I was going to have this up yesterday, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get my writing juices flowing. This chapter is the only one that's not already written, which is part of why it took so long despite being so much shorter. It was actually originally around 3.5k words, so pretty average for this fic, but I just... didn't like it? I'm not sure. I didn't want to fiddle with this anymore, since I'm already so late (when did it get to be almost _May_!?), so you guys will have to take this as is :')

I hope y'all enjoy anyways!

* * *

**Intermission**

Steven awoke with a start, breathing heavily. He brought his hand up to his chest, images from his dream – could you even call it that, really? – flashing in his mind, crystal clear. This wasn't the first night this had happened to him, and he supposed with a sigh that it wouldn't be the last. . It was growing to be a reoccurring experience, and despite his original denial that it meant anything, he had long started to think otherwise.

He didn't bother staying in bed for much longer. In one swift motion, he moved out of his small sleeping space and into his kitchen, glancing at the clock on the microwave. 3:07 AM. Unfortunately, that wasn't all that unusual, either.

When his newest Gym Leader had arrived in Hoenn, it was like a flip had been switched inside Steven's brain. His normal, everyday routine was suddenly thrown off, and his sleep was plagued with these… nightmares. The coffee machine brewing woke him from his thoughts, but he was quickly sucked back into them as he moved on autopilot to pour himself a mug.

He had made the connection fairly easily, as the weird dreams started the night he officially appointed Norman as Petalburg Gym's new leader, but he couldn't figure out _why_. He wasn't a very superstitious person, but his close acquaintanceship with Wallace and Phoebe, one of his Elite Four members, kept him from dismissing the notion entirely. The both of them were no strangers to the psychic or supernatural oddities of the world, and while Steven preferred to think in more realistic terms, he couldn't rule out their experiences.

Especially now, he thought to himself bitterly, matching his cup of coffee.

Norman had never appeared in any of his dreams. In fact, all of them had revolved around one girl in particular – a girl who he had never seen before in his life. He wasn't the best with faces, but he knew there was no way he would forget a face like hers. At first, he considered she might've been related to Norman; however, the newest Hoenn Gym Leader had only ever mentioned a wife, and she wasn't a Pokemon Trainer, either. He was completely at a loss.

In all honesty, he would've likely written these dreams – more like _nightmares_, truly – off as something normal. Everyone he knew dreamt, after all. However, try as he might, he couldn't pretend there was nothing different about these ones. He had obviously _had _dreams before; it was something he'd experienced, like everyone else, his whole life

These, on the other hand, were unsettling; in a way that almost made him want to leave his still in-training Metang out and about in his small house, just for some company.

Steven shook himself, forcing himself to take another deep breath through his stomach. He was exhausted, ridiculously so, but he knew sleep would likely not find him again that night. With not much else to do besides brood at his kitchen table, he decided he might as well make the most of his wakefulness and do something useful. Gently placing his mug in the sink to be dealt with at a later date, he strode into his closet and pulled out a suit.

There were plenty of better things he could be doing with his time than _this_.

* * *

"We really need someone to help us with Infinity Energy, Steven," his father told him, and the man in question sighed into his phone's receiver.

"I'm aware." His response was terse, and he didn't bother to try and hide it behind pleasantries as he normally would. He was sick of this conversation.

The idea made him sick to his stomach, and he had expressed his desire to stop it many times. Every single time was met with an explanation instead of an apology: _it's terrible, yes, _his father would say, _but a necessary evil to keep Hoenn running_.

The worst part was that Steven did understand it. As Champion, he'd seen so much of Hoenn – most of it, at this point – and he'd seen what was truly a necessity to the people, and what they could learn to live without. To keep Pokemon Centers running and technology improving every year, to keep the people happy and content; he'd seen it all, and he understood thoroughly.

That didn't mean he had to like it.

"Do you still have the Mega Bracelet I gave you?" His father asked, ignoring his son's rudeness. Steven bit back another sigh. It was, in fact, sitting on his kitchen table back at home, in a poor attempt to forget what he was supposed to do with it.

Even so, he couldn't bring himself to throw it out. He wanted to – oh, how badly he wanted to – but it all came back to _understanding_. "Yes," he ground out. Some days, he hated being Champion, but even the worst of those days couldn't compare to being Joseph Stone's son.

"Good, good," his father said, and Steven could practically hear the smile on his face. "Well, when you find someone, please let me know. I trust you to find the most capable Trainer you can."

He didn't bother saying goodbye, hanging up the call on his PokeNav+ quickly, and shoving it into his suit pocket without a second thought. Every single time they had this conversation, he fought the urge to puke. The idea of using a Pokemon's life force for – for _anything_, really, was disgusting to him.

Not just as a Trainer. Not just as Hoenn Champion, but as a person. Someone who connected with the creatures they shared the planet with.

"Necessary evil, huh?" He said to himself absent mindedly, eyes beginning to focus back in on the cave wall in front of him. He shook his head.

He'd already declined his father's invitation – purposefully stepped away from it, more like – of taking of Devon Corp once his father retired. That specific ball was no longer in his court, and it would likely never be again. At this point, Steven was just his father's lapdog; someone to do the dirty work out in the field, and gather information on Hoenn as a whole for his father's legacy.

Maybe it was time to step away even further.

* * *

"_Hi!" He greeted the girl with a smile on his face. "You're the Trainer I met in Dewford."_

"_I'm May," she said, nodding at him. "It's nice to see you again, Steven."_

"_Oh, okay, you're May," Steven said, cataloging the name. "I'll remember it, May." He found he quite liked the way her name rolled off his tongue – it was simple, an easy name to remember, but he found it suited her more than he had expected. Now that he'd heard it, he couldn't think of what other name she could've looked like. "In this vast world, there are many kinds of Pokemon," he gestured to her Combusken, who stood proudly next to her. "They come in many different types. Do you raise different types? Or do you raise only Pokemon of a certain type? What do you think as a Trainer?"_

_The younger girl stared at him blankly as he rambled on, seemingly out of nowhere. Truthfully, there were things he'd wanted to ask her since they first met in Granite Cave – for whatever reason, their short meeting had captivated him. It was rare to see such a new Trainer that gave off so much confidence. At least, despite being Champion, he hadn't seen many. The last time he had heard about a Trainer like that was, well, Leaf; and now she stood atop Mt. Silver as currently unofficial Champion of the Indigo League._

"_Sorry," he apologized after a moment of silence, looking away a bit awkwardly. "It's not my place to ask, is it?"_

"_It's fine, I was just," she paused, stumbling over herself a bit, "confused? I mean, we've only met once, but –"_

"_Anyway," Steven cut her off, not wanting her to feel guilty for not answering immediately. Honestly, though he was the Hoenn Champion, he didn't talk to many people – really just Wallace, his Elite Four, his father, and whenever the situation demanded it, his Gym Leaders. He always had a tendency to just… speak without thinking, and he knew exactly how that could come off to strangers. "I hope to see you again."_

_He took off, embarrassed by his actions and inability to stop himself from pushing conversation onto people, and not wanting to scare the girl off any further. He had a feeling he'd see her again, anyways._

* * *

Metang woke him in concern, the Steel-type nudging his upper arm carefully.

Groggy, Steven blinked the sleep from his eyes, shifting himself away from the wall a bit. "I'm sorry," he apologized to his Pokemon, "did I fall asleep?"

It nodded at him curiously, floating in front of him still.

"Sorry," he repeated, pushing himself back onto his feet. "I suppose I was more tired than I originally thought."

His Metang seemed satisfied now that he was standing again, but even as he slowly went back to dusting the cave wall, his thoughts went back to his dream. It was another dream about that girl, with the red clothes and tawny hair, and another dream that left him feeling… Empty, on the inside.

He couldn't understand exactly _why_ he felt that way; it was almost as if something was missing from him when he awoke. _Just who is she_, Steven wondered to himself, continuing to gently brush dust and debris from the wall, _and why do I keep dreaming about her?_

That particular episode, so to speak, wasn't horrible. Oftentimes, he was greeted by apocalyptic imagery in his sleep; of great floods and horrible droughts – and that girl, _May_, standing before it all. In comparison to those nights, his accidental nap was practically heavenly. Nothing bad happened – just him making of a fool of himself, but that wasn't unusual – and he got to hear her speak.

There was no way, Steven thought to himself, that he had ever met that girl before. He wouldn't have been able to forget a voice like that, if he had.

It was stupid, he knew, continuing to mindlessly dust at the wall. This girl might not even be _real_, and if she was, who was he to assume that they'd end up meeting? And on top of all of that nonsense, it certainly wasn't like him to get distracted by another person. He'd never been a very social creature – that was fairly evident to anyone and everyone who knew him – and to think he'd allow himself to be thinking of someone like this when he was in the middle of uncovering a mural in Granite Cave…

It was ridiculous. He nearly shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. He had no time to be dwelling on these things, and even if he _did _have the time, he had better things to be doing. He was the Hoenn Champion, after all. There were a thousand other things that needed doing.

"And yet," he sighed, unconsciously speaking aloud, "I'm here in a cave, instead."

What else was new.

* * *

**Notes**

So here's the short intermission! A quick look at Steven before the story started, hehe. I know a lot of you had guessed that he had been having similar dreams to May, and I was surprised but glad to see it! It's a decision I went back and forth on a lot when I started writing this fic way back when, but ultimately, you see what I decided to go with :) Anyways, see you later today for **Chapter Seven!**


	9. Chapter Seven - Rustboro City

**Notes**

Hello again! It may be late (it's 10PM here), but it's still the same day, so I succeeded! This would've been up much earlier in the day, but I got busy, and yadda yadda you guys know the drill. Anyways, this is the start of act 2! A few people guessed, this story is in fact going into the Delta Episode.

I thought the Delta Episode was a really cool way to bring some of the plot from Emerald over into ORAS while making it its own story, with some really cool character additions and also fleshing out some already existing ones. I really enjoyed it! Not sure how unpopular that opinion is though, haha. Either way, I really hope you guys enjoy! Thanks so much as always to everyone who reviews and even just checks out this fic, really means the world to me!

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Rustboro City**

Today had been one weird thing after another.

The day had started off odd enough – May had woken up, gasping for air, the same feeling of dread she had experienced during Kyogre's reign of terror encompassing her. That in itself wasn't _too_ unusual, since she'd been having nightmares about it for months now; but May hadn't had a nightmare about it. It was the waking up itself that had caused her fear.

She had shaken it off the best she could, reassuring herself that the threat was over, and groomed Nova to help calm her nerves. Once she'd gotten herself breathing regularly again, she went downstairs, feeling out of place. Both her parents were home, and she wasn't sure what to make of that. Was it a normal thing, now that they lived in Hoenn? It had been her first night ever sleeping in their new house – she didn't even feel comfortable calling it _her _house, despite the fact that her room had remained untouched.

Her father attempted to greet her like nothing was different, but May wasn't having it. Especially not when she found out that the reason he was giving her the dumb tickets was because he had decided to work instead of going out with her mother, like always. She scowled.

Standing awkwardly in the stairway, Nova behind her, she weighed her options. She could go into the kitchen, get some food, and leave right after. Everything was packed up; in fact, she hadn't unpacked at all. Really, she hadn't seen the point. Even if she had bothered trying to deny it, she knew she would never be comfortable living with her parents again. She outranked her father, now, for Arceus' sake. Things weren't good before they moved, but now?

Shaking her head, May wouldn't even entertain the thought. As she crept slowly down the last few stairs, unsure how exactly to proceed, her mother tried to talk to her again. Unsurprisingly, about the event she now held tickets for.

Her mother had tried to convince her it would be fun, to invite Brendan, but all she could think about was getting _out_ of there. Using her 'invite Brendan' idea as an excuse, she all but bolted out of the house.

_Yeah_, she thought to herself, _I definitely need to leave today._

But before she could even go anywhere with those thoughts, she blinked, eyes focusing in on a strange girl standing right in front of her.

The girl – or woman, really – looked to be around Steven's age, most likely, with a Whismur clinging to her leg.

So badly, May wanted to ignore the woman, but she just kept _talking_. She didn't even flinch when the woman said that she knew her. _Everyone _knew May at this point. Now that she was Champion, despite only having the title for all of a day, she wondered if she had to worry about crazy stalkers – was that what this was? She had shown up outside of her parent's house, after all, immediately launching into some speech May didn't even bother trying to follow. Briefly, she wondered if this was why Steven had never mentioned his Champion status to her before.

"We should keep our first meeting short and sweet, don'tcha think? Until next time, then," the woman grinned, waving in an over exaggerated manner. "Buh-bye!"

Off she went, like nothing had ever happened. May blinked dumbly, staring at the space she had just been.

Of course, though, the craziness of her day couldn't end there. Even though she'd fought one of the hardest battles of her life the night before, she couldn't seem to catch a break. _Shouldn't have come back to Littleroot, _she thought to herself with a scowl. _Stupid Brendan._

Brendan, of course, was the next cause of her troubles. He had his keystone stolen by someone crazy, apparently, and May shuddered at the thought. A keystone was not just something you used to Mega Evolve your Pokemon, it quickly became a part of you, almost. She barely knew anyone who even took theirs off at night – she hadn't taken her own off since she had received it.

Immediately, May's mind jumped to the psycho that had been outside of her house. Could the thief be the same person? She supposed it was possible. She kind of wished she'd been paying attention, now.

"She _did _mutter something about how Petalburg was next, though," Brendan told her at the end of his tale, looking worse than when she had initially greeted him. Almost instantly, May put the pieces together and let out a groan. _Wally_.

* * *

She was right, of course.

Today just got worse and worse, it seemed. After fighting off Matt – of all people! – from Wally, he had confessed to her that his keystone had already been stolen; likely by the same culprit as before. She was really beating herself up, now. Easily, May couldn't stopped her when she was right in front of her. Never had she so badly wanted to bash her skull against a wall. _I am such an idiot_.

It was hard not to feel bad for Wally; looking so distraught as he told her to be careful. She sighed, watching him walk, downtrodden, back through the door to his parent's home. What a mess – and what a _weird_ mess, at that. Why was Team Aqua working with some crazy woman, stealing people's keystones? Why not their Pokemon, or literally… anything else?

The keystone was something so… personal. May had never taken hers off, and she knew almost everyone who had the fortune to own one felt the same. It had her energy, her Pokemon's energy, stored inside of it.

Matt had mentioned something about going to Meteor Falls, so she knew that was where she had to go next on this wild Swanna chase. Right as she was pulling out Tropius' PokeBall, however, her PokeNav+ started ringing.

She almost didn't answer; an unknown number calling at a time like this was really almost too convenient, but the longer she looked at the ringing device in her hand, the less inclined to ignore it she was. Picking it up, May figured at the very least, whoever it was might have another useful lead for her to go off of.

"'Lo? Hello? Is that you, May?"

"It's you," her voice came out much breathier than she would've liked. She swore Nova, who had let himself out as soon as she'd landed in Petalburg, rolled his eyes at her. "I mean, yeah, hi."

"It's me. Steven."

May let out a short laugh, but cut herself off. It wasn't the time, and it _certainly _wasn't the time for her to make a fool out of herself on the phone with him. She had literally seen the man _yesterday_, and while it was true it had been months prior to their last meeting, they had a new situation on their hands to deal with.

"Have you been doing well?" He asked, and May nodded on instinct, before realizing he couldn't see her do that.

"Yes, but," she paused, a million questions coming to mind. _Did he still have his keystone? Did he know what was going on? _"This came through a different app then the standard phone app," May settled on, mentally berating herself for once again choosing a useless question for the situation. "What gives?"

Steven just chuckled, however. "I imagine you must be quite shocked. This is a communication mode that Devon is still currently developing. It comes installed on every PokeNav+. I thought I would only use it if I needed to contact you urgently," he said, ending his sentence with a weary sigh, "but it looks as though that time has already come."

"What's going on?" She didn't bother specifying; knowing this had to be related to the keystones being stolen. Steven always seemed to have all the information at any given time, so she really shouldn't be surprised that he had called her. She was glad, though – she did not want to try and stumble through her first crisis as the Champion blindly, especially since it was only her first official day.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you, but I need you to come to the Devon Corporation in Rustboro. There's something I have to talk to you about – in person." Though she'd only really gotten to know Steven during the last national crisis and their battle just yesterday, she could feel how tired and guarded he sounded over the line. Even when he hardly knew her, he always had an… airy aura about him. Hearing him sound like that made May worry even more. Whatever he knew, she realized, it wasn't anything good.

"Alright," May agreed, no hesitation in her voice. "I'll come to Rustboro as soon as I can."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll be waiting for you there," Steven said before hanging up the call. Typical, she thought. He was the same in person, so really, it was her own fault for assuming he might be better on the phone.

She turned to look at Nova, grabbing his PokeBall first. "I guess we're going to Rustboro," she said with a shrug, and Nova snorted.

* * *

She went straight for Devon Corp after saying goodbye to Latias and letting Nova back out. There was no time to waste. Her friend's keystones were on the line, and who knew what else? Her own? Hoenn – again? May shuddered, not wanting to entertain the thought. It hadn't been _nearly _long enough, yet.

Thirty _years_ would probably be too soon for that.

"May," Steven called out to her, standing with his hands shoved in his pockets outside of the Devon building. He looked, not surprisingly, well acquainted. With his business suit and silver hair, if May hadn't known any better, she would've thought he worked there.

She gave him a small wave as she and Nova made their way to him. "Hey," she replied, feeling stupid. She didn't really know what the protocol here was, and he didn't seem ready to let her know why he wanted her to meet him _there_ of all places, either.

"I'm sorry about summoning you so suddenly," he said, and May shrugged. It was the same tone of voice he'd used during the Kyogre incident, and it tugged on her chest in a way she didn't expect.

"It's fine," she said shortly. It _was _fine – she was actually glad he had called. She didn't want to waste any time, however, but wanted Steven to understand that she didn't blame him for this. She may not have been over Sootopolis, yet, and may never be, but that was alright for now. She was sure she'd get over that in time; and she certainly didn't need him feeling guilty about it. That wouldn't exactly help anyone.

"It's well known how often my intuition turns out to be right. But I never imagined we would be meeting again this soon! I'm sorry to say that it is not happy news that brings us together," Steven told her, looking up at the building that loomed over them. The air around them felt like it had cooled significantly, and May fought back a shiver.

Steven sighed before continuing. "This isn't something we should discuss in public. Let's continue this inside."

May nodded. She would like to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible, too, and didn't mind not taking any extra time, right now. Under different circumstances, she'd love to talk to him more – they didn't get as much of a chance as she would've liked yesterday, especially concerning his total disappearance from her life for a few months – but forced herself not to dwell on that for now.

He opened the door for her, moving out of the way. "After you," he said, and May couldn't decide whether she was annoyed or thought the action was sweet. She settled on _both_.

As they walked throughout the building, he looked at her over his shoulders. "There is something you should know before we continue."

Raising an eyebrow, curious, May responded, "Uh, okay? You couldn't have told me this outside?"

Steven tugged on his collar, cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment; the lighting in the room making him look even pinker. "It's about my family, you see. Mr. Stone is my father."

May nearly choked on the spot. It seemed that they had much more in common than she had originally believed. The tone of voice he'd used just now was something so familiar to her – she wondered how much of it was just her projecting, but she could've sworn it was something he was ashamed of.

"Please don't be angry with me for not telling you," he continued as they climbed the stairs. "It just… never came up."

Blinking, she realized she wasn't imagining it – Steven was _nervous_. She didn't understand why, but she could definitely understand not wanting to talk about family to someone; regardless of how much you trusted them. Even she had never told him that she was the daughter of Norman, someone who had been working under him for the better part of a year until yesterday. She supposed it was only fair.

"It's fine," she told him honestly. "I get it." And she did, really. Family wasn't easy – family was hard. She just wanted to keep her focus on the current situation. It was not the time to be getting into deep conversation about family.

How long May would keep telling herself that it wasn't the time, she didn't know.

* * *

They walked into Mr. Stone's office calmly, despite how anxious she could tell Steven was. Her own anxiety was quickly rising – why _were _they here? What was going on? What did they know that she didn't?

"Dad," Steven said, sounding so ridiculously tired; like he had aged twenty years in the last twenty four hours. "May is here."

"Well, welcome, welcome," Mr. Stone greeted the two amicably. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" He paused, and May looked at Steven who just shrugged, shoulders tense. "I suppose I'm just getting old. Recently I seem to forget details just as soon as I learn them," he laughed, and his son let out a sigh.

"Dad?"

His father cleared his throat. "Oh, I know! I know what you want to say. My, what a hasty, impatient one you are! What are we to do with such an impatient one for our Pokemon League Champion?" He asked, and May rolled her eyes so harshly she swore she could see the back of her head.

"Actually," she interjected coolly, before Steven even got a chance to open his mouth, "I'm Champion now."

Mr. Stone's eyes moved back over to her, and he looked her up and down in one smooth motion. "Is that so?" He questioned, using a tone May couldn't place. "So you're the new Champion, May?" She nodded, doing her best to hide her uneasiness, and he let out another laugh before turning back to his son. "Then I guess we'll never break you of that impatience after all, Steven!"

"Father!" Steven raised his voice, something that May didn't think she'd ever heard him do, really, and she was beginning to understand why he never mentioned his family to her.

To the average person, it might seem like they were very close, joking around with one another, but May could easily spot the true aggravation on Steven's face. This wasn't light hearted jokes with someone you cared about and trusted – this was a cover for something very different.

"Bah," Mr. Stone waved him off. "I know, I know. Can't you take a joke," he muttered to himself, and May found herself scowling deeply.

"Mr. Stone," she interrupted, her own irritation rising, "what did you call me here for?"

He looked shocked for a moment before quickly wiping it off his face; a pleasant, businessman smile gracing his aging features once again. "Now then, May," Mr. Stone's voice turned serious, "I'm afraid that I'm planning to start in on a rather long and quite heavy topic. Are you sure that you're ready to take all of it in?"

May looked over to Steven, who shrugged again. "My father is," he paused, giving May a strained smile. "Well, let me just say that I have been his son for twenty four years, and sometimes even I am not sure I understand him fully," he told her, eyes boring into her own.

May nodded slowly, struggling to ignore the fact that Steven was Steven _Stone_, previous Pokemon League Champion, heir to the famous Devon Corp, and twenty four years old. Nova looked at his Trainer curiously, but she had no problem ignoring her starter.

"I guess so," she said, turning back to face Mr. Stone. "Let me hear what you have to say."

"Let me first take us back three thousand years, to the days when this story began," Mr. Stone started, sounding much less like the jovial businessman and much more like a seasoned vet. May nodded. She wouldn't interrupt, no matter how badly she wanted to. She had learned _some _patience on her journey – now seemed like as good a time as any to actually _use_ it.

"There was a great war at that time, in a region far from here. That war was finally brought to an end by a weapon created by one man. And what energy source could power such a dreadful weapon? Do you know?"

May shook her head, but she had an inkling of an idea. She didn't even want to think about it, but in her heart, she instantly knew. She looked away from Mr. Stone, suddenly feeling very, very sick.

"You see," Mr. Stone sighed heavily, "it ran on the life energy of Pokemon. The energy that could be gained by the sacrifice of so many Pokemon… there are surely many people who would call it reprehensible."

That was… disgusting. Pokemon? Being used as a _weapon_? She couldn't stand the thought. Pokemon were living creatures, and entirely innocent; they only ever wanted to do what they could for their Trainers, even if their Trainers were awful people. Without realizing, she had moved a hand back to connect with Nova's, his talons grasping her fingers lightly.

Her eyes turned to Steven, who looked stricken at this point, and May had a feeling he had heard this story before.

"But my grandfather, the president of Devon before me, said this: 'Couldn't we use the energy to improve the lives of people and Pokemon?' And so he developed our greatest creation here at the Devon Corporation: Infinity Energy."

May glanced again at Steven, who was now refusing to meet her eyes whatsoever. Instead, he kept his eyes trained to his shoes, not even blinking. Something about this all seemed very off to May, but she held her tongue like she had promised herself at the beginning of this conversation, determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Thanks to Infinity Energy, Devon was able to become one of the top industries in Hoenn and developed into the giant you see today. You may be surprised to learn that the Devon Parts you once recovered for us were in fact parts of a motor that would make it possible to power a submarine using Infinity Energy.

"It was not long before we began to expand our attempts to further human development. Next, we moved into exploring space. The rockets launched from the Mossdeep Space Center using our Infinity Energy… they are the true results of our dreams, our passion, and our technology. But never did we imagine they could end up as the best hope for saving our world."

May didn't like this at all – any of it. Using the energy of Pokemon life forces, to power manmade objects? It felt dirty, and one look at Steven told her he felt the exact same way. No wonder he didn't get along with his father; no wonder he had refused to speak to May about his family until now. He wasn't proud of it – he was disgusted.

"My preamble has been quite long, but we arrive at last at the real issue," Mr. Stone continued, not even bothering his own glance at his son. "That is the overwhelming catastrophe which now approaches us. A huge asteroid, more than six miles in diameter, is currently on track to collide with our planet."

Gasping aloud, May's slightly disgusted expression turned horrified. That was… huge. That, surely, would wipe out all of Hoenn – if not the whole planet.

Mr. Stone nodded sagely. "We have been working together with the Mossdeep Space Center, which was first to recognize this danger. We are devising countermeasures that would use our rockets, but…" He sighed again. "In order for those plans to succeed, though, we need a meteorite shard."

"So that's it," Steven ground out, finally looking up from his feet to glare at his father. May had never heard him so unhinged, even when they had been in the middle of dealing with a _different_ possible end of the world months ago. "You want her to go and get this shared for you."

May scowled at that. She knew she didn't really have a choice, but she didn't like it, after what she had just heard about Infinity Energy.

"Hah! That's my boy, all right!" Mr. Stone smiled, but it didn't even come close to reaching his eyes. The two of them, May could tell from experience, likely hadn't been on good terms for many years; despite how hard Mr. Stone tried to fake it. She didn't have time to wonder exactly what had happened, but it didn't take a genius to piece it together. "I knew you'd understand at once."

"It was hardly a deduction worthy of praise," Steven muttered under his breath, and May fought back a smirk. She knew _all _about snarking at your parents, and being aggravated with them for this and that. Her issues seemed almost trivial compared to his own, but she couldn't help but feel appreciative for seeing a more human side of him once again.

"I want you to make your way to Granite Cave near Dewford," Mr. Stone turned to May again as he spoke. "According to our surveys, you should be able to find the kind of Meteorite Shards that we need there. And you, Steven," he paused before facing his son, who looked uncomfortable with the focus shift, "I want you, son, to head for the Space Center at once to start the preparations, using that Link Cable that I gave you."

"The Link Cable?" Steven turned to May slightly, but it wasn't to speak to her – he was completely lost in thought. "So it is to be a warp system," he muttered. She wasn't sure what he meant, but she had a feeling she would find out soon enough. The whole _patience _thing was definitely getting easier for her, at least. "Yes, I understand. But Granite Cave," he met May's eyes, finally tuning back into the present time. "Ah, I see. The floor where we first met – the floor with the ancient wall paintings."

Nodding, May was very unsure of where he was going with this. "Yes?"

"It is true there are many shards of meteorite scattered about there."

May rolled her eyes at that. Once a nerd, always a nerd, she supposed. Still… she hadn't gone back to Granite Cave since meeting them, and she had only _just_ made it through Victory Road without having a panic attack recently. And that's not including the attack she had beforehand… and after. Would she be alright? She wasn't sure, to be honest with herself, and her grip on Nova's taloned hands tightened with fear.

Steven and May both sighed, and finally, finally, he smiled at her again. She could practically feel the tension melt off his shoulders, the tension that had been placed when his father was speaking. Had he been nervous that she would hate him, for being associated with Infinity Energy?

_It doesn't matter_, May thought to herself. Now was still not the time. And even if it was, she couldn't hate him for that. It wasn't his fault.

"It looks like it's decided then, May," Steven said, focusing solely on her, and her alone. "I will head for the Space Center in Mossdeep. If I learn anything, I will contact you at once."

May nodded again. He'd use the same kind of system before, May guessed. That was fine.

"Good luck," he told her, eyes beginning to look bright again. May smiled up at him, not quite reaching her eyes, but it was getting there.

"Same to you."

She still wasn't sure about following along with Mr. Stone's plan, and technically, she didn't have to. She _was _the Champion, after all, and her authority definitely reigned supreme over his with regards to these matters. Truthfully, however, May wasn't really sure what else she could do. Everything was connected, obviously – the keystone robberies, Infinity Energy, the meteor – even if she couldn't figure out how yet. And even if they weren't, a meteor coming straight for them was a tad more pressing than some nutcase stealing her friend's keystones.

For now, May figured, she would follow along with this plan, and make her own decisions and things came up. That tended to be more her style, anyway, she thought to herself, as she descended down the many stairs of the Devon building.

Somehow, she'd ended up in another dire situation. She was scared – out of her mind, really – and full of anxiety, but she knew she had no choice. She was the Champion now. She had, quite literally, fought for her right to be involved; no matter how much it terrified her after last time. She couldn't back down now. No matter the cost, she would protect Hoenn and its people again.

Even if she shook the entire time.

* * *

**Notes**

And there we have it! The first chapter into the next section of this fic. I hope y'all enjoyed, and thanks for waiting for me while I dealt with some real life shit, aha. Regular uploading will begin again now, so expect the next chapter on **Sunday, May 5th**. See you then!


	10. Chapter Eight - Mossdeep Space Center

**Notes**

Hello, and happy Sunday! It feels good to be back to posting regularly again, haha. As always, thank you for your reviews, favorites, follows, whatever! Thank you for anyone who even just reads this fic. I'm always so honored and excited by any notifs I get about it, aha. It does make me really happy to know people are enjoying this. That said, sorry if I haven't responded to anyone! I've had a really crazy busy week this week and haven't had much time to myself. I promise I'll get to them soon, though, if I haven't! Until then, though, thank you so much!

All that aside, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I really like this one, so I hope y'all do too!

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Mossdeep Space Center**

Taking a deep breath, May looked at the entrance to Granite Cave, still unsure exactly how to proceed. Nova, loyal as always, waited for his Trainer's decision. She knew her starter Pokemon would hold no judgement if she decided she couldn't do it – if she had to call Steven and tell him that she needed help, or that they had to switch jobs, but she wasn't sure if she could deal with how she would judge _herself_.

The idea of going into a cave so soon seemed cruel; but based on what Mr. Stone had said…

Another deep breath, and this time, May closed her eyes. She took one step, reminding herself it was just one foot in front of the other. Just that motion, continuously, until she found what was needed.

_You were the hero once, _she reminded herself, as much as she had grown to hate that label. _You can do it again_.

* * *

It had taken far too long for her to actually get down into the heart of the cave, where she had first met Steven, but she managed. She'd been clutching Nova the entire time, but refused to let herself tremble.

When she had made it through Victory Road just a few days ago, she had trembled the whole way through. She hadn't been in her right mind to give even Wally, someone she considered… at least, not a stranger, the time of day and a proper battle. By the time they had met she was outside, but she had still been so afraid.

May was so sick and tired of it. She was, by all accounts, the strongest Pokemon Trainer in Hoenn; yet she shook like a baby when faced with anything that reminded her of that day.

Unlatching herself from her starter Pokemon, she moved into the room with the mural, intent on finding what she needed and bolting. Staying down there longer than she had to would just hurt both her and her mission.

"We do seem to meet an awful lot, May."

Bristling in surprise, May met the eyes of the woman with the Whismur she had seen earlier. "You again," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Are you also interested in this old painting?" The woman asked, gesturing to the mural behind her. "Or are you here for the other? For one of the Meteorite Shards that can serve as a source of power for the legendary Pokemon that lives in the heavens above," she continued, her smile almost growing wistful.

Unable to stop herself, she did shudder, at that. Any mention of that _beast_ still could bring her to tears. What it had done to her Pokemon that night – she would never forget. On instinct, she brought her hand to her belt, tapping every single PokeBall that sat on it.

It was a habit she'd likely never grow out of.

"Either way," the woman – May racked her brain for her name, knowing she had said it at some point yesterday – "you know I adore you. That's it!" She burst out, her words reverberating off the cave walls eagerly. "I can't help it! I have to battle you! I'll play nice, though, and ask first… You're ready to battle me, right?"

Taken aback, May blinked, before quickly recomposing herself. Weakness was not an option here. It never was, really, but it certainly wasn't in front of a woman who had stolen her friend's keystones.

"Of course," she said, eyes narrow. Nova was already moving in front of her, ready to start, but she shook her head, enlarging her Metagross' PokeBall. "I'm ready when you are."

Nova stepped back in understanding, willing to sit out to stand next to his Trainer. Back in Johto, when she wasn't allowed to go on her journey, she often would wonder what was so special about a Pokemon connection, anyways. She knew, deep down, she only questioned it out of jealousy that she wasn't able to experience it; though she did wonder what it would be like.

After all this time journeying and battling, she could safely say there was nothing better. Nova, without even having to ask, understood exactly _why_ she was having him sit this out. Exactly why she needed him to stand by her side to defeat the woman – Zinnia, May's mind finally recalled.

"That's my girl," Zinnia called out, moving back and enlarging one of her own PokeBalls. "Now let's do it! Give me a good taste of everything you and your Pokemon have to offer!"

Maybe she couldn't give Zinnia the best battle she'd ever dished out – that was reserved for Steven – but she could certainly give her a taste of the newest Champion's strength. Even if she was practically operating at half power; being stuck in a cave like this.

"You're on," May replied, throwing Metagross' PokeBall into the air. There was no way she'd lose, even down here.

* * *

Zinnia was _psycho_. May's mind was reeling hard from everything she'd said to her after that battle, especially what she had said right before she left—

"_...Hey... the actions that you're taking now…. Are they based on the ideals you cling to? Or are the based on actual truths? And if they are… How much of the truth do you think you know?"_

May couldn't for the life of her wrap her head around it. Her ideals. The truths she knew. What did that mean? What did that have to do with stopping her from taking people's keystones, and what did that have to do with the bigger picture here?

She didn't have much time to think about it, though. Her PokeNav+ startled her out of her thoughts, an unfamiliar ringtone sounding from her pocket, and she answered without looking. Only one person had ever called her using that weird app, with its weird ringtone.

"May." Steven's voice sounded hard through the line, and she frowned. "Were you able to find the Meteorite Shard that we need?"

May nodded, forgetting once again that he couldn't see her. She was still so lost in her own head.

"If you were able to secure it, could you hurry back to us at the Mossdeep Space Center?"

"Yes," May tried to say, coughing over herself. She cleared her throat, and tried again, her voice a little bit fuller the second time. The entire battle with Zinnia had put her on edge. Her Pokemon had acted like they didn't know how to stop fighting, reminding her of the last time she had faced a Pokemon like that. And then at the end…

_Are they based on the ideals you cling to? Or are they based on actual truths?_

_How much of the truth do you think you know?_

"I'm afraid we don't have much time left," Steven told her, cutting directly into May's train of thought and breaking it. "I'll be waiting for you."

He hung up then, before she could even attempt to get another word in. May sighed. That was fine, too, she thought. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts, anyway. Tugging out an Escape Rope from her bag, she looked at Nova, who nodded in agreement at being returned. She could think on the wat to Steven, she figured.

The flight to Mossdeep would be long, from there.

* * *

On top of Mega Latias, May's thoughts again when back to what Zinnia had said to her. _How much of the truth do you think you know? _The question wouldn't stop pounding in her head, leaving her restless.

The truth was, she didn't know. She didn't really know _anything. _When she arrived in Hoenn, she was convinced she knew something, though. Everything had always seemed like it was happened over again to her – until she dealt with Kyogre a few months ago.

Ever since Kyogre, she had stopped having those dreams; the prickly déjà vu feeling that she'd had all her life had all but completely stopped. No more headaches, no more feeling like she knew someone before she'd ever met them. It was almost as unsettling as when she'd first arrived in Hoenn, when her dreams had become more real and in depth.

She had lived with that feeling for as long as she could remember, and having it suddenly vanish one day made her feel like _this _was now the dream. And it certainly didn't help that she couldn't tell if it had genuinely stopped, or if it was just the trauma from Kyogre that was crowding up her head.

May tried hard to picture those dreams as she flew, letting her mind wander where it wanted to. She wore something different in them, she remembered. Everyone looked slightly different, actually – Steven's suit was not quite as fancy. There was no keystone attached to his cuff, and May didn't wear a bracelet, either.

Her head didn't pound, though, when she thought about it. Maybe it really had been some hormonal imbalance, May considered, and now that she was eighteen her body had grown enough that it no longer affected her in the same way. It was the only reasonable conclusion she could come to, but it didn't sit well with her.

She sighed, watching as Mossdeep finally approached. She would think about this later; she didn't have the time, right now. She stroked Latias' neck as her Pokemon flew her onto the island smoothly.

When would it ever be time, she wondered, to think about things for herself?

* * *

As soon as she arrived in Mossdeep, May made a Combee-line for the Space Center, not even bothering to take a look around in the city despite not having been there in months. Nobody seemed panicked or out of sorts, which was good enough for May to consider a win. The Space Center seemed to loom over the city, though May was sure she was the only one that felt that way.

She swallowed painfully, Nova at her heels. She hadn't even remembered letting him out of his PokeBall, she realized, having done it on total instinct. "Am I ready for this?" She asked her Pokemon, voice hoarse.

She wasn't even sure what would be awaiting her in the Space Center, really. Steven hadn't sounded great on the phone, and Zinnia – well, Zinnia's words were still fresh on her mind, confusing May even more. The unsurety was filling her stomach; the nausea that came with anxiety getting worse the longer she stood outside the door.

Nova put a taloned hand on her shoulder, steadying his Trainer with practiced ease. He didn't make any noise, not wanting to startle her, but nodded sagely. She stared at her Pokemon for what felt like an hour, before finally reaching a decision.

May took a deep breath. "Okay," she nodded at him, pulling the Shard out of her bag and gripping it tightly. "Let's go."

She didn't feel any more ready then she had five minutes before, or when she had first landed on Mossdeep, but she knew that her Pokemon would be there with her to see this through. She may not have had the confidence she used to have at the moment, not terribly befitting of Hoenn's newest Champion, but with her Pokemon by her side…

Well, maybe that was okay, for once.

* * *

"You must be May," the attendant blocking off the stairs said as soon as May came into view. She nodded at her, Nova standing tall behind her, not even bothering to ask how she knew so quickly.

_Everyone_ in Hoenn knew her, now, since Kyogre. There wasn't a person in the region, probably, who couldn't recognize her anymore – especially when Nova was out and about. Her starter Pokemon had quite the fan base, Brendan had told her the other day, since she kept him out of his PokeBall so often.

"Mr. Steven Stone told me he was expecting you," the attendant continued. May still wasn't used to hearing that. _Stone_. "This way, please."

The attendant turned to walk up the stairs, and May lagged behind, not really sure what to think of the situation at hand. The Space Center was still open – there had been a cluster of girls on the lower floor, enjoying looking at the sights – so they must've not let anyone else know about this issue, quite yet.

May wondered vaguely if that was her job, now; to make the call on whether or not to alert people to a crisis, or keep it secret until after it was averted. Her head spun at the thought, not knowing how she would ever grow into such a large role. Maybe she shouldn't have accepted this position.

"Professor Cozmo," the attendant began, May peeking out from behind her to see the Professor and Steven standing together. "If I can interrupt you," she trailed off, and May took that as her cue to make herself known.

She and Nova walked around the attendant, her eyes immediately flicking to Steven, who looked more distraught then she had seen him since Kyogre. Not that she'd seen him much, she thought, scowling a little to herself. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but Professor Cozmo cut her off before she got the chance to figure out the words.

"May! Thank you for coming," he said, relief evident. May smiled awkwardly at him, still not used to people thanking her like that. "And you brought the Meteorite Shard with you," Cozmo nodded to the Shard she held in her hand. "Well done!"

She walked closer to him and Steven, shoving the Shard into Cozmo's hands before she could second guess herself. She had been gripping it tightly since she had taken it out of her bag, and wasn't sure if that was a healthy way to cope with this whole… situation.

"I was rather surprised to learn that you knew the Professor," Steven spoke up, eyes gentle despite the tension thick in the air. "You really do seem to make connections wherever you go." His voice was soft – much softer than it had been on the phone – and instantly, she felt the air leave her lungs.

It hadn't even been more than a few hours since she had seen him in Rustboro, but somehow, seeing him again felt like she could breathe properly. She allowed him a small but genuine, rare smile, and he returned it easily – almost as if it were second nature to him. Somehow, the thought made May's heart do that odd little flip it did sometimes.

"I try," she said, her voice much breathier than she intended.

Steven's gaze lingered on May for another moment, before turning back to the Professor. "Now then, Professor," he gestured at May, "could I ask you to explain once more about the current plan?"

Cozmo nodded, his eyes turning serious. "Indeed," he said, turning around. "Please come this way."

Without second thought, Steven and May followed Cozmo deeper into the upper floor of the Space Center, Nova hot on their heels. The attendant gave the Pokemon a look before heading back downstairs to continue her assignment.

Cozmo stopped in front of the large monitors mounted on the back wall, May and Steven standing close together. May wasn't sure if it was a conscious decision on either of their parts, but nonetheless let herself be comforted by his presence.

"I imagine that you've heard some of the situation from President Stone already," Cozmo faced May as he spoke, and she nodded, scrunching her face up slightly at the reminder of what Devon was really doing. "Our current plan involved using the Infinity Energy within our rocket, combined with the life energy of humans found in keystones…" he trailed off, gauging May's reaction to what he said.

Doing her best to keep her poker face, she nodded stiffly, not saying anything to him yet. She had learned to hold her tongue and she would hold it well right now, wanting to hear the rest of the plan first before calling him out. She couldn't help the disgust that crawled up her back at his words, though she held herself without shivering.

"We will start off by artificially replicating the massive energy that is triggered at the time of Mega Evolution!" Cozmo exclaimed, not bothering to look at May or Steven this time before turning around towards one of the massive monitors. "We will fire the energy produced from our rocket into space" he gestured at the middle monitor, "and create a 'warp hole'. By creating a warp hole in the path of the incoming meteoroid, we hope to be able to transport it somewhere far away from here."

May's breathed hitched in her throat.

"As a matter of fact," Cozmo continued, "this technology already exists and has been incorporated in some of our commonly used devices. I think you know what I mean," he said, looking to May and nodding. "Those panels that spin you about and then out you come, warped to another spot," he told her while spinning in place, "I imagine you've stepped on a few such?"

May nodded back at him, swallowing harshly. The goofy disposition of the Professor didn't offset the dread that was pooling in her stomach. In Gyms, in the infamous Trick Room, in Team Aqua's hideout… All of those places had a large number of warp panels. It made her feel sick to know that those were also made with Infinity Energy. Was everything in this region using it, she wondered? How far was Devon's reach – to other regions, to the entire world? They were a household name even in Johto, she remembered, the dread growing.

One glance at Steven told her all she needed to know. Their reach was far. "An audacious plan," Steven said, seemingly composed, but May could spot the difference. "And using such technology you would," he paused, figuring something out in his head. "May I ask where exactly the asteroid will be warped to?"

May hissed out a breath. She hadn't even thought to ask about that, but it _was _a bit important – this was something that would've wiped out their entire planet. What damage could it do in space, put somewhere completely random? May wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to that, but she knew she had it hear it.

"Well," Professor Cozmo adjusted his glasses somewhat awkwardly. "We're not entirely sure, but," he paused, gesturing again to the monitors behind him, "we do have a device that links the warp holes. We've named it the Link Cable. But there's no need to worry," he said, smiling a bit at the two in front of him.

May didn't like the sound of that.

"Based on our theory, we can at least guarantee that we will be sending it away from our planet."

"I damn sure hope so," May mumbled to herself, but Cozmo just continued, barely even registering May had opened her mouth.

"However, we've realized that we will need more energy than originally anticipated to control the Link Cable properly," he trailed off, looking back to May apologetically. May glared right back, not at all liking where this was going. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but with one more Meteorite Shard..."

Shifting on her feet uncomfortably, she wasn't sure if she could even approve of this plan at all – they had no idea where they were sending this planet-destroying meteor, they were using a disgusting source of fuel for all this… May briefly wondered if she would be required to power it by Mega Evolving _her own_ Pokemon. She blanched at the thought. _Absolutely disgusting_.

Nova shifted behind her, mirroring his Trainer's thoughts. This was not what they wanted to be doing to solve this problem, but neither of them were sure what else they _could_ do.

She was so lost in thought of how to respond to the Professor that she almost didn't notice the two turn towards the stairway entrance, looks of confusion on both of their faces. She turned around to check for herself, only to see Zinnia in the flesh, her Whismur trotting along behind her.

"Nice!" She exclaimed as May watched her in horror. "So this is the heart of the famous Space Center everyone talks about! Pretty impressive, huh, Aster?" She grinned down at her Whismur, her off brand of excitement pricking at May's skin.

"Excuse me! Young lady!" The attendant flew up the stairs, clearly aggravated, while May's companions watched in mild concern. "You can't just let yourself in here!"

"Oh? Where's the harm in it?" Zinnia asked, and May knew she had that crazy glint in her eye, even from the opposite end of the lab. "Don't be such a stick in the mud~" Her words came out in a sing-song tone, but she moved in to the attendant, so close that their noses were almost touching. "Right?"

The attendant took a reluctant step back, unsure of what to do. Steven began to walk towards her, May instantly following with Professor Cozmo in tow.

"Who… are you?" Steven asked, eyeing the newcomer carefully. "You're no sightseer," he trailed off, trying to put the pieces of this complicated puzzle together quickly inside his head.

Zinnia stepped forward towards them, grin still plastered on her face. "Oh me, we do seem to keep running into one another. You _are_ a busy gal, May," she hummed, nodding in what could only be approval.

"Wh – who are you!? What're you doing here!?" Professor Cozmo snapped when May didn't respond to her taunt.

"Me?" Zinnia smiled as she spoke, looking up at them to meet their eyes. "I'm Zinnia. Just your regular old tourist, nothing more. Dreaming of taking a little trip into space," she let out a chuckle at her words before turning to the monitors on the back wall. May twitched, Nova doing the same behind her. Something told them she shouldn't be seeing this – something besides what they'd already learned about her. "Oh, I seeeee," she continued, elongating the vowel, with no regard for anyone else in the room. "So this is what has come of human technology and of hope and blood and sweat and tears and…"

She stopped, blinking. The nausea that had been churning in May's stomach got worse and worse the more the other woman spoke. She wanted nothing more than to get her out of there, even if she had to battle her again to do it.

_Are they based on the ideals you cling to? Or are they based on actual truths?_

_How much of the truth do you think you know?_

Those words still rang loud and clear in May's head, too, making everything more confusing. Zinnia, however, started up again, seemingly not caring whether anyone was listening to her or not – despite the fact that everyone had stayed silent, unsure of how to respond.

"Well, the list gets kinda long and boring. But it contains everything, huh?" She turned back to face the Professor, who looked stricken. "I know all about it. About just what kinda energy you're using the fuel this rocket thing," she paused, her eyes turning hard before continuing, "the abominable technology humanity first thought up three thousand years ago."

May blanched at that. She wasn't surprised that this woman knew about it – she definitely seemed to know more than someone on the outside of all this ever _should_ – but May couldn't help but agree with her; despite how ill Zinnia made her feel. Everything about Infinity Energy was terrible, and she knew Steven was mortified that _this_ is what he was the heir to, even if he hadn't said it aloud to her, yet. The look on his face told her enough, as she glanced at him again. He'd turned paler than she'd ever seen him, looking like a ghost.

"So you're once again planning to claim that this is best for humanity," Zinnia said, turning to face the Professor, "or best for the whole damn world… It's a snap of your fingers to repeat the sins of the past. Worse if what I overheard is true," she paused, her glare growing darker, nastier. "This time, you're about to commit an error more abominable than before!" Zinnia's voice boomed, and May couldn't help but flinch as the sound hit her.

Something clicked in her head, however. _Repeat the sins of the past. _She didn't know, exactly, what had happened in the Great War from three thousand years ago – didn't care enough about class to pay much attention, back then, but she did remember one thing: the catastrophic loss that came from it.

What, exactly, May wondered, were they going to do, by moving this meteor to somewhere they couldn't track? The color drained on her face in a moment, matching Steven's perfectly.

"Tell me," Steven hissed, glaring at her with all his might, "would you rather we sit here wringing our hands, waiting for that meteoroid to strike us?" The bite of his words reminded her of how she used to be, before she had went on her journey. In the back of her mind, she wondered if he felt defensive.

Zinnia let out a loud laugh in response, making Steven grow even more agitated. "What's up with that? You're a pretty simple guy for a former Pokemon League Champion," she jeered at him.

May couldn't help but feel glad, in that moment, that her journey had changed her. No longer was she as rude and abrasive as Zinnia, no longer was she defensive and biting like Steven had just been. Dealing with Zinnia made her realize that it was a good thing, her change. It wasn't that she had lost her aggression, or aggravation towards most people in general; it's that now she knew how to reign it in when it was important, or around people she liked. For the first time, she was really, truly glad for that.

"Then I guess I'll hang my hopes on what our current Champion will have to say," Zinnia moved herself to face May, locking eyes with her. "So how about it, May? What do you think?" She asked, voice oddly heavy compared to how she just sounded. "Do you have some better idea?"

May nodded slowly. It wasn't that she really had another idea at all, but something in her wouldn't let this one take off. The idea of possibly destroying another planet, just to save themselves… it didn't sit right with May. Not even after everything she'd been through _to _save this planet, she just couldn't do it. She wouldn't. So she looked Zinnia dead in the eye, and said with the most confidence she could muster, "I do," ignoring the implications it could have, and ignoring what it could do to Steven and the Professor to have her disagree so openly.

Zinnia grinned. "Really! Well, that's promising," she nodded along. "You'll have to tell me so we can set these guys straight." But before May could even scramble to figure something out, Zinnia continued, shifting her gaze from May alone to the group. "Look, I'm not here to criticize the way you guys are looking at this," she said, and May snorted. What had she been doing this whole time, then? "But I want to be sure you've thought this through well and good. You know, there are necessary sacrifices, and there are unnecessary sacrifices."

Instantly, May's thoughts jumped to Kyogre, and the mess that had happened along with that. She hadn't caught the beast – for good reason, and she would defend herself until the day she died on that – but she did wonder if that was an unnecessary sacrifice. She'd wondered, ever since, if catching Kyogre would've made it so that kind of terror could never happen again.

She'd never thought that she had done the wrong thing, with how everything had happened, but she wondered if it hadn't been the right thing, either.

"What a disappointment!" Zinnia continued right on with her monologue, not waiting for Steven, Cozmo, or even May to say anything. "This is the best you could do with all your knowledge and technology? Instead of trying to make something outta nothing, you'd rather repeat the mistakes of the past, straight up?"

Those words concerned May, but she didn't get a chance to but in. She snuck another glance at Steven, who had been oddly silent since his first attempt to rally against Zinnia, and saw how horrified he looked at her words.

"No, you're gonna add new mistakes on top – that really takes the cake," Zinnia's words were lined with a new anger, though she smiled at all of them. No matter how much she made May uncomfortable, everything she had said made _sense_, and May hated it. "You guys need some imagination."

Finally, finally, she paused for a long moment, and everyone breathed out, unsure of what to do or where to go from there. The Professor opened his mouth to respond, unsurety evident on his face, but Zinnia cut him off again.

"Oops! But you were all in the middle of a conversation or something, right? Sorry about that," she said, not sounding very sorry at all. "I guess we'll just let ourselves out, then," she turned to her Whismur, her expression changing to something much more subdued. "C'mon, Aster."

Zinnia pushed past the attendant, who had been waiting by the stairway with an odd look on her face, leaving May's mouth agape. Vaguely, she wondered if she had ever been that awful to deal with in the past. She had the sneaking suspicion that she was, at some point.

Steven stepped forward, looking like he had been broken out of a trance. "Who was that woman?" He questioned, bringing a hand up to his chin in thought. "And the way she spoke to us… it's almost as if she came here for some kind of confirmation," he paused for a moment, and May stayed quiet to allow him to gather his thoughts. Cozmo looked like he was in the middle of a nervous breakdown, but at Steven's words, straightened out a little. "And yet… I feel as though I should know her from… somewhere." Steven moved his eyes to May's. "And you seemed to know her as well."

She nodded. "I met her at Granite Cave today," May said, ignoring the fact that she had met her in front of her parent's house that morning, too. Steven already had enough on his plate, and she wasn't even sure if it was relevant right now.

He nodded back, then looked back to the Professor. "Ah, Professor, forgive me. I believe you were trying to tell us something before that woman interrupted us?" He asked, forcing the conversation to turn away from his questions.

May had never heard him so worked up before. It had been an interesting experience, sure, but May wasn't sure she liked _why_ he got riled up. She shook herself out of it for the time being, however. It was Steven, someone she trusted with her life. Someone she—

Someone she cared about. Doubting the people you cared about was never a good thing, May reminded herself, intent on listening back into the discussion.

The Professor stuttered for a moment, trying to recollect himself as well. "In order to complete the warp hole," he said once he finally got ahold of himself, "we will need another Meteorite Shard, an extremely pure one," he trailed off, looking expectantly between May and Steven.

"Then should we head to Granite Cave once again?" Steven asked.

"No," Cozmo shook his head. "The kind of Meteorite Shard we need this time can only be found at Meteor Falls."

Steven and May both perked up at that, though for different reasons most likely. Meteor Falls was where May had practiced before heading into Victory Road, so it was a place she was more comfortable with.

"Meteor Falls!" Steven exclaimed. Even the tension and aggravation couldn't stop him from being happy about rocks, she realized. "I see… perhaps we will learn something there," he trailed off a bit, searching May's face. "I will head to Meteor Falls at once. Follow as soon as you are ready."

May nodded. "I will," she told him, voice sounding much more put together than she felt. He nodded back in return.

"I feel we might discover even more than a Meteorite Shard there," he trailed off for a moment, before smiling gently at May. "I will see you there soon. Have a safe trip," he said, before turning around to leave, once again not giving her a chance to say goodbye. May was starting to wonder if it was intentional.

For a moment after he left, May stood there, pressed into Nova for comfort, thinking about everything that had just happened. That was a very heavy conversation – much heavier than she had been expecting to have, upon walking into the Space Center – and she was left with her head swirling. There was so much to unpack in just the last half an hour that she wasn't sure where to begin.

She sighed, turning around to face her Pokemon, completely ignoring Professor Cozmo as he went to talk to the attendant. "Well," she tried for a smile, "I guess we're going to Meteor Falls, huh?"

Nova cooed a response, patting her shoulder lightly.

"Yeah," May nodded. "We can figure things out on the way." They always did, somehow.

* * *

**Notes**

Back to longer chapters! A lot of the Delta Episode stuff is going to be fairly long, whoops. Anyways, the next chapter will be out on time next week, on **May 12th**, so see you then!


	11. Chapter Nine - Meteor Falls

**Notes**

Hello, and welcome back! Hope y'all had a good week. I got to spend my weekend dogsitting for a really lovely old dog (she's sixteen!), but because I had to sleep on the couch, my shoulder is totally fucked, lmao. Good thing all I have to do is edit these chapters, haha.

As always, thank you all _so much _for the reviews, follows/favorites, everything. It really means so much to me. I'm sorry I've been bad and still haven't gotten to replying to all of you, but please know that it really brightens up my day so so much when I see any and all emails I get about this story :') This month has been killer, but you guys really make me smile, so thank you! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Meteor Falls**

May arrived at Meteor Falls feeling just as confused emotionally as she had at the Space Center. The flight over on Tropius – after talking to Latias, they both agreed that it wasn't safe for the legendary Pokemon for the time being; with her connection to Mega Evolution and all – had not cleared her mind like she had hoped. Chewing her lip in thought, she walked into the sparkling cave system.

Steven hadn't told her where to meet him inside the maze-like cave, and May didn't care to take her time looking around for him. This wasn't a leisure visit, and she wasn't exactly in the mood after hearing Zinnia out a few hours prior. She walked up to the first bay of water with purpose, pulling Sharpedo's PokeBall out and tossing it quickly, jumping onto her back with no hesitation. The rough skin that used to bother her so much when her Pokemon had first evolved didn't even register to May, anymore.

Climbing up the waterfall, she wondered briefly if she should've called Steven to ask where he was before starting on her own, but shook her head at the thought. After what she had heard and seen, she didn't want to talk to him more than she had to, right now – nothing was making sense in her head, and he would just jumble it up further.

What Zinnia said bothered her a lot. The idea of using Infinity Energy already made her sick, but the idea of sending sure destruction to another, unsuspecting place… It definitely didn't sit right with May. She didn't _like _people, not in the ways other people seemed to, but the idea of having no time to prepare for the literal end of the world?

She shook her head as she hopped off of Sharpedo at the top of the waterfall. That was a bit too much, even for her. She sighed to herself, returning her Pokemon and sending Nova back out completely on instinct. She would make her decision on whether to give the Meteorite to Cozmo or not after she had secured it.

* * *

"Hey," May greeted lamely, Nova in tow as she arrived at the top of Meteor Falls. Steven turned around from his conversation with an elderly woman, a bit startled at her arrival.

She hadn't had to search for him long, as it turned out – they both had the same idea to head to the top.

"May," he greeted back, albeit much more amicably with a smile on his face. "We have the Meteorite Shard," he said, his lips not tilting downwards, "and I have come to understand many things, as I suspected might happen." Steven stepped back from in between May and the elderly woman, gesturing at her as he did so.

"Allow me to introduce you," Steven continued. "The honorable lady you see before you is a descendant of the ancient Draconids."

"Draconids?" May questioned, moving her gaze to the woman. The term sounded like something ancient, as Steven had said; and she was unfamiliar with it entirely.

"Draconids?" She questioned, moving her eyes to the older woman. The term sounded like something ancient, like Steven had said, and she was unfamiliar with it entirely. Racking her brain, she didn't even think she'd ever heard it back at school before.

"Yes, I am one of the Draconid people," the woman spoke up, a peaceful expression on her face. "One of those ancient folk tasked with passing down the knowledge of Mega Evolution – with the great lore of Lord Rayquaza, who was the beginning of all."

Tilting her head in confusion, May questioned her again. "Rayquaza?" The name rang a bell, somewhere in her mind, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.

"Since times long gone, Hoenn has repeatedly suffered great disasters," the woman said, looking down at the edge of the Falls. "At times, the destruction took the form of a huge meteoroid, which fell upon our land from distant space. At other times, the Primal Reversions of our own super ancient Pokemon brought us to the brink of destruction."

May blinked. _Kyogre_. It was still such a fresh, recent wound that May couldn't help but put her arms around herself in comfort.

"Each time, Lord Rayquaza has saved us from doom. The chosen Lorekeeper, standing before a stone that shone with rainbow light, offered up a wish to the great one. And Lord Rayquaza's body was suffused with a brilliant light and transformed."

Steven and May's eyes found each other in an instant. _Mega Evolution_. There was nothing else that could've been.

"In its transformed state," the woman continued, "Rayquaza's power was more devastating than ever before, overcoming even the super ancient Pokemon with all their primal power."

Steven put his hand to his chin, looking down at his feet; a pose May had come to know as his _in thought_ pose. "A rainbow colored stone," he mused, "an invocation from the Lorekeeper, and a Rayquaza unlike any ever seen." He paused for a moment, looking back to May and nodding. "I see. It does resemble what we know of the process of Mega Evolution."

All was silent for a few moments in the Falls, just the dripping of water onto the ground around them for noise, until the Draconid elder spoke again. "Yes, it does indeed. A Pokemon, a person, a stone of power. The bonds that tie them all together," she trailed off slowly. "The transformation of the Pokemon that occurs as a result of this phenomenon was called 'Mega Evolution' by later peoples."

Steven nodded quickly, and May was starting to put the puzzle together in her head as well. "So the mechanism for Mega Evolution was discovered as a result of the first meeting between humanity and Rayquaza," Steven said, wonder in his voice. "Hmm. But I have one last question."

The woman nodded freely, obviously expecting this.

"That 'Lorekeeper' you spoke of," he began, unsure of how to phrase his question. The woman nodded again, taking over easily.

"The Lorekeeper is the one who has inherited the knowledge and power to summon Lord Rayquaza when disaster imperils this world," she told him gravely. "The true Lorekeeper of the current generation is the one called Zinnia."

Steven looked as if he had already figured out that much, but May was taken aback. She felt a bit stupid for not figuring it out – the more she thought about it, the more it made sense to her. Why Zinnia had known so much about what was going on, why she was so invested in the situation in the first place, why she was so interested in May…

"The disaster that now approaches our planet, as it has twice before," the Draconid woman continued, "Zinnia has been trying for some time to avert it, in her own way."

"Her own way?" May finally spoke up, not quite sure what to make of that at all.

"To draw Lord Rayquaza to our sphere, she joined a certain organization that sought to revive the super ancient Pokemon," the woman explained, voice much sadder than May expected. "She taught them the secrets needed to bring back these threats and summon the great Dragon itself. And now it seems she travels the land, scouring the world for Key Stones," she sighed, disappointment heavy enough to make May feel weighed down.

The newest Champion took her time processing this, her arms gripping themselves even tighter around her body. Zinnia had been the cause for everything that had happened before; for her Pokemon almost dying, for _her _almost dying. It had all been because of Zinnia.

She wasn't even aware she had started to shake until Nova put his hand on her shoulder in a familiar, comforting gesture that May welcomed.

"So it was true," Steven spoke up after a moment. "As I had suspected, that woman who appeared at the Space Center was one of the Draconids." May didn't even have it in her at the moment to be impressed by his deductive reasoning. "But I never dreamed she was involved at the attempted revival of the super ancient Pokemon," he trailed off, looking to May. She barely even registered that his eyes were on her.

"In full knowledge of the power they held, fully understanding the terrible changes they would wreak upon our world," he continued, shaking his head. "Still she helped bring that situation about?"

May wondered the same. It had almost really been the end of the world; been the end of _her _as she tried her damn best to stop it. It kept her unable to complete her dreams for months, plagued with what she could only assume was Post Traumatic Stress after many nights spent up on her phone, wondering what was wrong with her. And this was all because of one woman, one person – and for _what_, exactly?

"Did she give a thought to the many people and Pokemon whose lives were put at grave risk by her actions? Could she accept the inevitable sacrifice of so many lives, in order to protect the planet from the coming meteoroid?" Steven said, anger lacing his every word as he went on. May had never heard him like this – not even in the Space Center was he this… _righteous_.

She stored it away to examine later, not being capable of doing much but listening, right now.

"Balance must rule this world," the Draconid elder said in response after a moment. "History is doomed to repeat itself… while our people have overcome many disasters in the past, it was always through great, great sacrifice." She looked back out over the top of the Falls, watching the water flow down before continuing. "Yet we have continued to preserve peace for as many years as we can. That is how we have protected this world, upon which we now live. People, Pokemon, all nature," she sighed, "and yes, even you. I do not know exactly what you plan to do. But do you believe that you are not sacrificing anything for your own protection?"

The last statement had May looking deep at herself. It was something she hadn't considered moments ago, when she internalized that it was Zinnia that had caused Kyogre's primal reversion. All that had been on her mind was _why would you do that? _But now, May took a deep breath, and allowed herself to try and think about it a bit more rationally.

She couldn't erase the hurt – couldn't erase the anger that had bubbled up so quickly, clawing its way up her throat, but she could try to at least _think_. It didn't change her mind, nor did she think that would be realistic, but maybe May could allow herself to understand Zinnia, even if just a little.

"Zinnia will follow her convictions until the very end," the woman continued after there was no interruption from Steven. "Even knowing the sacrifices that they will require. Even if the sacrificial blade is leveled at her own heart."

May was lost in thought, just beginning to open her mind up a little. Zinnia wasn't so different from herself, really, if she thought about it. May was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to save Hoenn, when everything had happened – just as Zinnia has been, in preparation for this disaster.

She didn't forgive the other woman. Didn't think she was capable of that yet, if ever. But the initial anger simmered, just a touch.

"Is that right?" Steven broke her out of her reverie. "I understand," he said, and May wondered if he really did. "Thank you for everything." He turned away from the Draconid elder, finding May's eyes with ease. "What is this," he wondered, "this vague sense of apprehension… and my intuition has often proven true."

He sighed, shaking his head. "I am going back to Rustboro first," he continued, nodding to May. "I have to get back to Devon."

May nodded back at him, her eyes drifting down to the ground, watching the water flow slowly. Her arms released themselves from their hold on her body as she let out a deep breath. "I understand," she said. "I'll see you later, then."

She didn't expect a goodbye, nor did she receive one. Steven left immediately after he registered her words, not saying another word to the Draconid elder, either. Nova's taloned hand finally fell from her shoulder, and she shook her finally uncrossed arms out a little, letting them be limp at her sides after.

"I should go to Rustboro too, then," she told the woman, who nodded slowly at her. "Thank you for all your help." May gave her a shallow bow, not really sure if that was appropriate or not.

The woman smiled at her. "You understand, dear child," the Draconid elder told her. "Go, follow the silver haired dreamboat."

Despite the tense situation, May's face filled with heat at the woman's words, and she found herself scrambling for an Escape Rope.

* * *

May sighed, looking around her at the entrance of Meteor Falls. There was so much to think about, so much to try and wrap her head around, she wasn't sure what to do, or where to start. Before, during the situation with Team Aqua and Kyogre, it had all been so easy and straight forward. It hadn't taken any additional thought to put everything else aside and step up to the plate.

What had changed, she wondered? Had Kyogre really changed her this much? She wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. She hadn't felt like herself, really, since the incident had happened. May had done her best to recover – even going so far as to literally beat the Champion, just the other day – but something in her had been broken.

She wondered if she would ever be able to fix it.

"Sorry, Nova," she told her Blaziken, holding his PokeBall out. "We've got to fly again."

Her starter Pokemon nodded in understanding, willingly going back inside his PokeBall. He was the only member of her team that hated being inside it for long periods of time, which was honestly a blessing in May's mind. She had come to rely heavily on her Pokemon's comforting touches and instant understanding.

She sighed again, reaching for Tropius' PokeBall on her waist. She'd do her best to be what Hoenn needed, right now. Just like before.

* * *

It had likely been a full thirty six hours since she had slept, now; continuously running around and around trying to figure out what was going on. Somehow, everyone always seemed to have the upper hand on her, frustrating the newest Champion endlessly.

Arriving at Rustboro had given her an Aqua infested Devon Corp building, and no shortage of Grunts that wanted to battle her. Over the months after Kyogre's attack on Hoenn, May had spent a fair amount of time in the Aqua hideout, looking for someone who had been in the center of the incident to be around – even if it was the people who had caused it. Most of the Grunts she battled today she recognized, and in turn they had easily recognized her.

On another day, with more sleep, she might've even admitted she had fun beating them all – a sensation she hadn't experienced in far, far too long as a Trainer. In the back of her mind, though, May worried over Steven. Why was Devon infested with Aqua? Why wasn't he there?

It wasn't like she didn't think he could handle himself around Aqua; fighting him in a Champion League match was enough for her to know the true depths of his strength. But the fact that he wasn't where he said he'd be, and Aqua Grunts had taken hold of the building… Well, it left a sour taste in her mouth.

The Devon researcher that she had saved had mentioned an item being stolen, and how he was probably going back to the Mossdeep Space Center, so May unclipped her Tropius' PokeBall without a second thought. She didn't have _time _to worry over Steven, and she certainly didn't have the brain power to multitask at the moment with her limited sleep, though she fully intended to catch a quick nap on the flight back to Mossdeep.

Returning Nova to his PokeBall and sending out Tropius in one fluid motion, May hopped on her Pokemon's back, sparing a glance at the Devon researcher.

"We'll get your toy back," she said snidely, taking off before he had a chance to respond. She almost felt a little bad about being rude to him, but her patience was thinning more and more the longer she had to stay awake.

It was well into the next day, after all, and it's not like she had slept _well _the previous night. She sighed, trying to get comfortable as she leaned into her Tropius' long neck, enjoying the soothing scent of fruit.

"Sorry, Tropius, I know you're tired," she mumbled to her Pokemon, who gave her a gentle roar in response, though she could barely hear it over the wind. "Wake me up when we're landing, okay?"

Finally, May allowed herself to succumb to sleep – even if just for a little bit.

* * *

May yawned loudly, stretching as she stood next to her Tropius, having just landed again in Mossdeep. Everything in the city so far seemed just as normal as before, as she quickly glanced around. May was hoping she had beaten Team Aqua there, but she knew her luck wasn't that good, especially lately.

Giving her Tropius a thank you and a pat on the head, she returned her to her PokeBall, her hands already on Nova's. The two of them then walked over to the Space Center again, a bit of lag in May's step, when they spotted a group of Grunts surrounding Matt.

"Let's go, Grunts!" He bellowed, pumping a fist into the air, before turning around and heading up the stairs to the Space Center.

May watched in mild horror as he marched up, the Grunts following him in perfect order. She groaned, putting her head in her hands. "I don't want to deal with this," she grumbled to Nova, who was shaking his head at the sight.

With a sigh, May started up the same stairs to the Space Center. "Let's go, Nova," she said, chuckling to herself at her own little joke.

She really needed to sleep more.

* * *

Stepping into the Space Center, May could immediately tell things were off. It wasn't a surprise, since Team Aqua wasn't exactly known for their gentle persuasion, but May almost wished this could've been easy for her. Just for once. The scientists that stayed at the Center and a few of the guests were huddled together in the back left corner, she noticed, and she briskly walked to the stairs.

Before she could reach them, however, she was stopped by a group of Grunt girls, who seemed to know her fairly well.

"We meet again," one said, stepping forward with a grin on her face.

"It's been three – wait, how long has it been?"

"Ugh," May said, mostly to herself, already stepping back to Nova could take them all out. "Let's get this over with, please."

"Brace yourself!" One bravely called out, being the final one to step forward. May rolled her eyes. "We won't let you call us mere quintuplets!"

May waited until they had all sent out their Mightyena, hating how angry theirs looked compared to her own Yena. She shook her head, watching them snarl at Nova, foaming a little at the mouth.

They all had the ability Intimidate, and May rolled her eyes. Nova would surely feel that, but she wasn't going for a Physical attack, anyway.

Once everyone was ready, May let out a feral grin of her own. "I'll take all five of you down in one hit!" She called out, throwing her arm out in a sweeping motion. "Nova, Overheat!"

After all, what fun was being the Champion if you couldn't show off a little? May was tired – dead, dead tired – and her excuse was that this was a good way to wake herself up.

Instantly, mass fire power shot out from Nova, knocking out all five Mightyena as it hit them. May was so used to the heat that she didn't even have to shield herself like she used to, but the Grunts all put their arms up in front of themselves for some semblance of protection. May's grin got wider once Overheat had ran its course, completely devastating the battlefield with Nova taking the pain it brought without a flinch.

All five Grunts returned their Pokemon, and Nova stepped back behind his Trainer. May gave him a pat on his shoulder as he did so, her grin turning into a gentle smile. "Good job," she said, and he cooed back, puffing his chest out in pride. His Special Attack stat wasn't as high as his Attack, so he and May had worked hard to perfect his Overheat.

The Grunts all moved back into their original formation, frowns on all of their faces. One let out a shaky laugh. "I knew we would lose," that one said, looking down at her shoes.

"It's odd," the one in front spoke up, looking curiously at Nova. "That strategy – Intimidate five times in a row – should be invincible," she trailed off, eyes narrowing at May. "Did you cheat?"

May rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for this," she told them bluntly. "Move."

"Matt is on the second floor," one spoke up as they moved from their guarding position of the stairs. "It's pathetic, but we can't stop him." Her eyes found May's, and the Champion was surprised to see the passion in them. "Please stop him. Please."

At that, May nodded. "I will." And she would. That was her job now, after all – she was the Champion of the Hoenn region. She wouldn't let anything happen to this place; the place that gave her a home. That gave her _life_.

She might not have been born in Hoenn, but that didn't matter to her. She felt more at home here with the people and Pokemon than she ever had in Johto. Despite her rough start here with all her vague memory-like dreams, Hoenn had not only gave her comfort as a place, but it had given her the ability to go out on her journey, to finally grow. Somehow, her growth had led her here, as the strongest Pokemon Trainer in the region. She was proud of that, and she wouldn't give that up so easily.

She marched up the stairs, Nova in tow, once the grunts had moved. She would keep her promise.

* * *

She walked into the main section of the upper floor, only to have Steven turn around and greet her.

"Your timing is impeccable as always, May," he said, voice light but eyes hard. Steven turned away from her again to face off with Matt, and May made her way to stand next to him, Nova glaring at the rest of Team Aqua behind her.

"I try," she responded dryly, her eyes still on Steven even as she went in front of Team Aqua.

Everything was starting to become chaotic in her head. Her thoughts of Steven had long since confused her, and it was just getting worse and worse as this never ending day went on. Staying up this long wasn't exactly helping, but May knew that short nap in the air was all she was going to get for the time being.

"Team Aqua," Steven said, eyes firmly on Matt, "what do you intend to do with that device? You do realize that this is the last hope we have of saving this planet?"

Matt looked around in shock, real or fake May couldn't tell at the moment. "What was that? What? Last hope?!" He stopped, and for a tense moment, nobody said anything. It wasn't long though until he burst into laughter, only to cut himself off with a glare pointed at Steven. "I ain't laughing one bit, punk."

The room was thick with tension as Matt continued. "My bro," he said, "my bro whom I loved so much," he paused, getting angrier with each passing second. "Are you trying to tell me that everything we've done up till now, the ties that bind of us, all of it was a mistake?"

Steven and May both blinked at his words, failing to understand what exactly Archie had to do with this. What exactly their _bonds _had to do with the current situation. Despite spending time with Archie and Shelly in the past few months, Matt had always been a bit of an enigma to May. She thought, way back when, before everything, that she had him figured out pretty well – he had seemed so simple back then. But after Kyogre, he seemed to change; even Shelly had pointed it out to her, one night.

"My bro has changed since he got mixed up with you!" Matt bellowed, seething at Steven.

Steven, cool and collected as always, didn't flinch at all. "How convenient it must be for you to put all the blame on another," he said, voice as cold as an Ice Beam.

"Shut it! I'm," Matt stumbled over himself, trying to regain the confidence that had just been forcibly slid out from under him. "Know what? That rocket's full of crazy amounts of energy. It's even more awesome than the ultimate weapon that ended the war three thousand years ago, right?"

At this, Steven and May openly gasped. "What?" Steven exclaimed, throwing his cool facade right out the window.

"If I use this Key Stone I found at Meteor Falls, I can force the energy inside the rocket to explode," Matt continued as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It'd be like Mega Evolution for the rocket!" He erupted into laughter, and May had to fight herself not to take a step back. He was more unhinged than she had been prepared for – now she understood why those Grunts had wanted her to step in. "Who needs a meteoroid? I'm gonna bring an end to all things with my own power!"

Matt stood up straighter, looking downright deadly as he bore holes into Steven. "The one who will complete Project AZOTH and take the world back to its beginnings," he said, enlarging a PokeBall from his waist, "is me!"

Steven turned instantly to face May, eyes frantic. "May," he breathed, pulling out his own PokeBall, "this fool! This incredible fool really intends to do it! If we don't stop this now, our whole world will be embroiled in the destruction!"

May nodded, already stepping back for Nova. "I know," she told him through gritted teeth.

The severity of Matt's words certainly weren't lost on her, despite not fully understanding what Matt was talking about. She was thrown back to the last situation, though, with Steven's need to reiterate.

"You're ready to battle," Steven glanced at Nova, who was stepping forward. "Aren't you?"

"Yes," she said simply, fully moving back for Nova to have some room. She didn't expect this to be an easy battle, despite being one of two Champion level trainers in the room.

It was interesting to her, really. The same fear that had been pulsing through her veins since Kyogre seemed to all but entirely disappear once she was getting ready for battle – her breathing was more normal, though her body was still tense. She wasn't sure _why_, but she would take it.

"Wonderful," Steven breathed out, stepping back to make room for a makeshift battlefield.

"I'm gonna smash you up!" Matt screamed, throwing his PokeBall hard.

Trying to relax her body, May rolled her shoulders. She trusted her Pokemon with her life, and Steven's team was certainly nothing to scoff at. They would stop this before it got too crazy. They had to.

* * *

The battle wasn't as grueling as May had been expecting, as Steven's Skarmory was once again a trustworthy battle partner for Nova, but it was emotionally more taxing than she had thought. After their defeated Pokemon were returned safely, and Nova had stepped behind his Trainer once again, Steven and May both took a step forward, surrounding Matt.

"Damn it!" Matt yelled, punching his open palm in anger. "Am I not good enough, bro?!"

Steven turned to May in a hurry, ignoring Matt's temper tantrum in its entirety. "May! Now is our chance," he spoke quickly, eyes darting in between them. "Take the Dimensional Shifter and –"

He was cut off by a Whismur, cooing as it came up behind the two of them. Realization dawned on May almost immediately.

"Oh no," she breathed, watching in slow motion horror as the Whismur strode up to Matt, snatching something out of his pocket with ease. May made a reach for it, but she was too late – it was already holding it tightly to its small body, moving away from her.

"That Pokemon," Steven said, connecting the dots just as May had, "doesn't it belong to…"

"Nice one, Aster!" Zinnia called out from the other side of the room, waltzing into the main area of the Space Center as if she didn't have a single care in the world.

Steven knew exactly who she was, eyes lighting up in recognition. "You're the –"

"The Draconid, yup," Zinnia said, as May's eyes were glued to her. "Or you could just call me Zinnia." She turned away from Steven, attention now fully on her Whismur. "Aster!" She sounded almost... whimsical as she called out to her Pokemon, who responded with just as much cheer, handing its Trainer the Dimensional Shifter. "Thank you, dear."

May snuck a glance at Steven, watching him for a moment as he clenched and unclenched his jaw repeatedly at the scene. She knew this had been going too smoothly.

"Now then," Zinnia said, the darkness a huge contrast to how she spoke to her Pokemon as she turned back to face Steven and May. "That is an impressive machine. Snap your fingers, the asteroid vanishes, and we all live happily ever after?" Zinnia let out a laugh, clapping her hands after she shoved the Dimensional Shifter into her pocket. "Indeed! It's like that former Champ said! This thing is the best hope we have of saving this planet and everything on it. But you know," she paused, eyes narrowing dangerously, "it could also be the worst tragedy imaginable for some other world and everything on it."

Steven's eyes narrowed at the woman as she spoke. "What are you trying to say?" He said after a tense moment, words sharp.

Zinnia, however, just rolled her eyes, making a rude gesture at him. "I'm not talking to you," she said, matter of fact. "You don't get it."

He _tched_ back, irritation obvious as Zinnia turned to face May fully, ignoring Steven. "But you, May," she smiled, though the Lorekeeper's face was full of aggravation as she did so. "Hope for our world, tragedy for another… you get it, don't you?" She paused, obviously looking for an answer.

It took a moment for May to realize she was waiting for her to continue speaking, but once she did, she didn't even hesitate. "I do," May said, because she _did _understand. She had begun to put things together last time, but Zinnia had officially confirmed May's wildest dreams.

Obviously, she wasn't sure she could fully trust the girl as of yet – she was insane, and the grudge that had been building in her stomach since the elder Draconid told her that Zinnia was the cause of the Kyogre incident wasn't about to vanish – but with everything that she'd been through, with everything as she understood it and her dreams having plagued her all her life…

"And you come through again!" Zinnia exclaimed. "You never disappoint me." It was odd praise, and May certainly didn't take it as a compliment. "My people know it. From generation to generation, we pass along the lore about the distortions in the world borne by the Mega Evolution mechanism. And about the existence of another world, which we have long observed to be just like this one and yet not the same," she trailed off for a moment, letting both Steven and May piece this together on their own.

May swallowed hard, knowing exactly what the other woman meant. She was right, she had been right, but hearing it out loud sent shivers down her spine. Another world. Another planet, just like them. Was that what she had been dreaming about? May wouldn't – couldn't – let them save themselves only to have somewhere else completely decimated by an unexpected threat; one that they weren't able to prepare for. It wasn't right.

"That's right," Zinnia continued, nodding. "A Hoenn region that's almost exactly like this one we live in. Filled with Pokemon and people like us. A world where maybe the evolution of Pokemon took a slightly different path, where Mega Evolution is still unknown," she paused again, taking a deep breath before continuing. "A world where that war three thousand years ago never happened. A world where the ultimate weapon was never even built. And in that Hoenn of that world… what would happen if one day, out of the blue, a meteoroid appeared? What would happen to the people of that world, without the technology to destroy the meteoroid or the power to war it away?"

Zinnia let that sink in, and from behind her May heard Matt breathing heavily. She wasn't sure if the Draconid Lorekeeper had gotten through to him, but it was a start, at the very least. May snuck a glance at Steven at that moment, as well, only to see his eyes a galaxy away, completely lost in thought. That was good, too – he was thinking, which meant there was a chance he would be on board to think of a different solution, no matter how set he was previously.

May knew in her heart that she couldn't go through with the current plan, if what Zinnia was saying was true. Was she even willing to risk it, on the admittedly fairly high chance Zinnia was lying? May wasn't sure that she would be. That was another universe, another world, in which people and Pokemon could be living peacefully – and if her hunch was right, where they were _definitely _living peacefully. Would she ever be able to live with herself if she knowingly and willingly doomed them all?

Most certainly not.

Turning back to Steven, Zinnia frowned. "Looks like it's beyond the power of your imagination," she said, though the look on both their faces said they thought otherwise.

Without another word, however, she took the Dimensional Shifter out of her pocket and smashed it on the ground, pieces scattering on the floor in disarray. For good measure, she stomped on it once more, making sure it was completely irreparable.

"What kind of fool are you!" One of the scientists, who had been quiet in fear the whole time, piped up from the back. "You have no substantive proof, and yet you claim another world, one just like our own, exists?" He shook his head angrily. "Out of this fantasy, you – you have destroyed our only hope!"

Steven shook from next to May. "What have… you done," he breathed out, his voice more of a hiss than anything else.

Zinnia shook her head wistfully. "Farewell, brief hope," she said, dropping the rest of the crushed pieces on the floor. The clattering was painfully loud inside the otherwise silent lab, the clicks and clacks reverberating off the walls.

"Y-you!" The same scientist sputtered. "Do you even know – now what are we to do!?" He wailed, and May almost wanted to roll her eyes.

Zinnia brought her hands up in a pacifying manner, almost seeming to be sincere. "Calm down there, Prof. It'll be okay. I," she paused, before trying again. "We… we can protect this world, and the other."

Steven was on her in an instant, and May didn't know what to do but to sit back and watch him. "Who exactly is 'we'?" He asked sharply. "What are your intentions?"

May wanted so badly to jump in, to explain that even if it was just a theory, they couldn't just _do that_, and Zinnia, while her methods were… unorthodox, to say the least, weren't exactly wrong – but she didn't know what to say, how to say it. She was so used to saying whatever she wanted to, being blunt and rude and just getting her thoughts out there, that the feeling was completely foreign to her. There was nothing she could say to Steven to get him to calm down, because at this moment, she didn't even have the faintest idea _how _they were going to fix this. Telling him to listen to Zinnia would be a waste of breath, and the Professors in the back freaking out weren't exactly helping may concentrate.

She almost wanted to scream, but Zinnia opened her mouth instead. "Oh yeah!" She laughed. "Silly me. I forgot the other thing I came for." Again, without another word, Zinnia marched right past May and Steven to Matt, who looked startled at suddenly being included in… whatever this was.

She grinned up at him, and before he had even a chance to say anything, had snatched his Key Stone, moving back to her original place next to Aster.

"Wha…" Matt began, before letting out an unintelligible bellow.

"And that's the Key Stone gotten," Zinnia turned to Aster, smiling down at her Pokemon. "Now I'll put it together with the Key Stone they've got in their base…" Her Whismur trilled in agreement as its Trainer turned back around, seemingly relishing in the anger that was coming off of Steven in waves. "Looks like my next appointment is calling, so I'll excuse myself for now," she said, before looking May dead in the eyes. "Later!"

Just like that – just like before – she waltzed out, crunching pieces of the Dimensional Shifter as she went. Her Whismur trotted after her happily, completely unaware of the terror it had just been involved in.

"Th-that punk!" Matt exclaimed, curling his hands into tight fists. "How dare she try to take my bro Archie's Key Stone?! Not cool, man! Not cool!"

Steven, on the other hand, completely ignored Matt's outburst once again, looking with still narrowed eyes at the pieces of the Dimensional Shifter scattered about on the tile. "Confound it all," he said to himself, voice barely registering to May as she forced herself to listen closely. "So she must be making for Team Aqua's hideout next…"

He put a hand to his chin, and May almost wanted to laugh despite the tension. He was a creature of habit, always.

"Think, Steven, think! What to do, what to do," he started mumbling, but nothing ever came afterwards. May waited a few moments, brows raised looking at him while he was lost in thought, but Steven didn't seem to arrive at any conclusions.

Slowly, after what almost felt like being glued in place, everyone around the lab began to move again, trying to find new ways to be useful. Nobody picked up the broken pieces of the Dimensional Shifter, the crunch that came from people walking on it keeping May in the present for a few tense minutes.

May took a few deep breaths once everyone had scattered, leaning into Nova. She knew that Zinnia was heading to Team Aqua's base, and she knew that she needed to chase her down, but she wanted a few minutes to collect her thoughts. Despite moving to do new things, nobody seemed to really be doing anything _helpful _around the lab. It seemed everyone was in the same position as her – stuck in thought but wanting to keep moving.

Shaking herself, May pushed off of Nova before rubbing her face firmly. This was no time to be dilly-dallying, she reminded herself.

"I'm heading for Team Aqua's base now," she said to Steven directly, not even bothering to look at anyone else. Matt was still standing there, off to the side with one of his Grunts, but she didn't even spare them a second glance. "I'll meet up with you later."

Steven nodded at her, but didn't reply. May wasn't sure if she really expected him to, if she were being honest with herself at all. He was never good at goodbyes – at least, that's what she told herself when it came to dealing with him after their conversations were over – and she didn't expect that to randomly change at the moment.

So instead May sighed, nodded, and made her way to the stairs, Nova walking with purpose behind her.

She would find out what Zinnia's plan was, and decide for herself which was the better idea to support. Though, May thought, she wondered if Devon Corp even _had _a backup plan. Judging from how the scientists had reacted to Zinnia crushing that device, she thought probably not.

Though she wanted desperately to believe there was a way for both sides here to work together, May knew that was almost intentionally naïve. Like before, she had a feeling she would have to do everything herself.

* * *

**Notes**

Man, I wasn't kidding when I said all the Delta Episode chapters were long, lmao, my poor shoulder... Anyways! Hope y'all enjoyed and see you guys next week on **Sunday, ****May 19th**! Have a good week!


	12. Chapter Ten - Team Aqua Base

**Notes**

Happy Sunday! Have you guys seen Detective Pikachu yet? I saw it this week with my friends and boyfriend and it was really amazing :') I actually cried a little just because of how incredibly the CG was aha. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but it was really something special. Definitely go see it if you haven't!

Other than that, I can't believe we're really getting to the final few chapters of this fic. If my outline is right, after this, I have four more chapters to publish! That's kind of crazy. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited/followed, or even just read and enjoyed this fic. It makes me so happy, especially with how crazy my last few weeks have been, aha. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Team Aqua Base**

Headache after headache after headache. That's all this new day had been so far, it seemed. May had barely slept on her flight over to the Aqua base, confusion and muddled thoughts clouding her mind too much to close her eyes for more than 30 seconds at a time. Normally, flights were the perfect way to clear her head, but it was like she was a broken record.

The Aqua base had been infested with Grunts who all wanted to battle her, irritated and grumpy from their run ins with Zinnia. May didn't have _time _to deal with them, not even bothering to send any of her other Pokemon besides Nova out, who could take them out with one hit without her needing to say a word. Her lack of sleep certainly wasn't helping her decision making skills, either; part of the reason she was only using Nova was that he could do everything on his own.

For once, the fact that Steven had proved to be her only real challenge in months was a blessing, not a curse. She had begun to grow out of her oversized ego after the Kyogre incident, but it was a nice reminder that her wins weren't just flukes.

By the time May had finally gotten to Archie's private quarters in the base, she was dizzy from the warp pads and totally aggravated by the amount of Grunts she had to beat down. It wasn't like most of them didn't know her, either – she was even aware of a few of their names, for crying out loud.

So when she strode into the corridors with purpose, only to be greeted by Zinnia finishing off Archie, May was pretty pissed off.

"All right! And the winner is Zinnia!" The Draconid Lorekeeper said, more cheerful then she had any right to be. May twitched from a ways down.

"Archie," that was Shelly, May recognized instantly as she crept over towards the scene, careful not to make herself known. "Are you… okay?"

Archie groaned overdramatically, and May rolled her eyes at him. "I'll be keelhauled! How did I get beat by this little slip of a girl?" He exclaimed, holding his head in his hands. May narrowed her eyes at that, almost stepping in right then and there to remind him of _who _had beaten him all those times before.

She opened her mouth to say something, growing more irritated by the second, but closed it as Zinnia's Whismur let out a happy coo.

"Oh, oh, what's this?! Aren't you a happy girl, Aster!" Zinnia cooed back at her Pokemon, a little hum in her tone. "Just what I'd expect of my daughter! We're so in sync!" She laughed at her own comment, but May froze, stricken by her words. _Daughter? _She had no idea what it meant, but even in her overtired state she could tell that was something important to store away for later.

"You," Archie ground out, "who are you?"

"Who am I? That's a surprisingly difficult question," Zinnia said, voice becoming serious. "I couldn't become who I was supposed to be, so who does that make me now?" Everything was quiet for a moment, before Zinnia forced herself into laughter. "Whatever, right?" It sounded so fake, even from as far back as May was standing. "Enough with the introspection and the soul searching," she continued, turning around to look May directly in the eyes. Startled but refusing to let it show, May held her gaze, unwavering. "You there! May! Don't just stand there like a stick in the mud. Come on over and say hi."

Normally, May would've felt embarrassed about being caught and called out like this, but her mind was so clouded she didn't even have the capacity to _process_ embarrassment at the moment. She walked over to the group with purpose in her step, her mind-loop from earlier returning with a vengeance and now focused entirely on Zinnia's 'daughter' comment, Nova following behind her with a puff in his chest.

"You!" Shelly gaped, and Archie met May's eyes with confusion.

"Scamp?" He asked, using his personal nickname for her. "But why are you—"

"Isn't it obvious?" Zinnia cut him off, tone blunt and unamused. "She's the heroine, right? Here to save the world again."

May rolled her eyes at the comment. "Yes, exactly right," she said, anger seeping into her words. "Here I am."

"Oops." Zinnia smiled, but it was angry – wicked. "But looks like she's a bit too late this time. If only you'd been here just one minute earlier!" Zinnia turned, and strode over to Archie, snatching his Key Stone right off his necklace.

May watched in shock as Archie doubled over in pain, Shelly screaming without thinking. She couldn't even imagine someone just… ripping off her Key Stone, just like that. Unconsciously, May put her hand over her own Mega Bracelet, holding it close to her chest. Nova shifted uncomfortably from behind her.

"There now," Zinnia continued, turning away from the shaken man. "I'd say this Key Stone is mine," she grinned down at her Whismur. "We finally got everything, Aster. Now we can do it... the summoning. We will summon Rayquaza!"

The room went silent at her admission, and May's mind reeled. She really was trying to summon Rayquaza, just as the Draconid Elder had thought, but at what cost? Was stealing people's Key Stones really the necessary way to go about this? May thought back to how broken Wally and Brendan had looked when she saw them just the other morning. Refusing to believe this was the best course of action, May shook her head, trying to clear those thoughts.

"Well then, looks like my job here is done," Zinnia said, bursting the bubble of silence that had fallen after her last statement. "So don't mind me while I excuse myself." She turned to May before she left, her eyes twinkling with something she couldn't place. "Oh. May? I really hope you'll come chasing after me, you know? We'll be heading to that ancient tower, sealed since primal times, the Sky Pillar."

The confusion on May's face must've shown, because Zinnia sighed before continuing. "If you don't know what that is, well, ask that former Champ of yours. He'll know what I'm talking about. Find me there!" Zinnia waved before walking out, like nothing at all had happened, and May felt her headache – a normal headache – growing worse by the second.

It had been so long since she'd had a normal headache, she almost felt glad for it, despite the way her skull pounded.

The last few things Zinnia had said rubbed her the wrong way, as well – she wasn't sure if this was how Zinnia had meant it, but the idea that Steven was more fit to be Champion then May made her feel…

She wasn't honestly sure how it made her feel. Confused, for sure. Kind of bad. Everything was too jumped up in her head to put things together properly, right now, though. Too many emotions, too little sleep made for one very irritated May.

"Oh man!" Shelly exclaimed, bursting May out of her reverie. "What makes her think she can just do whatever she wants and then hightail it out of here!?"

That comment didn't sit right with May, either. She wondered in the back of her mind if that's how she had come off to people before the Kyogre incident – marching to the beat of her own drum, but in the worst way possible. If that were the case, it was a miracle Steven, Brendan, everyone she had ever met on her journey had bothered to talk to her for more than five minutes. She felt like she might be sick.

"Little scamp," Archie spoke up finally, forcing himself off the floor and walking towards her. "Fine," he chuckled to himself. "I guess it's just fate. That you showed up now of all times." He sighed, turning to Shelly. "Shelly. Give it to the girl."

His demand sounded sad, and May watched as Shelly's jaw dropped at it. "What?!" She was so _loud_, May thought, cringing a bit at the noise. "Is that okay?!"

"What could I do with a Mega Stone anyway, not that I've lost my Key Stone?"

Now it was May's turn for her jaw to drop. A Mega Stone? The hand that was still over her Mega Bracelet clutched her own Key Stone tightly, eyes darting between the two members of Team Aqua.

"I understand," Shelly sighed out. She walked over to May and she dropped her hand from her wrist to take the stone from her.

The stone glowed in blues and yellows, and almost instinctually, May knew what stone it was. She held the Sharpedonite close to her chest, fingers tightening around it, and smiled to herself. Her Sharpedo would be so happy.

"The Sharpedonite," Shelly looked pointedly at the stone, "make sure your Sharpedo holds on to it tightly." May nodded, already wondering if she had an extra chain or something of the sort in her bag to attach it to her Pokemon.

Nova looked at the stone from behind her, curious. His own Mega Stone was attached firmly around his neck, shining just as brilliantly as the day Steven handed it to his Trainer; its reds fitting the yellows and reds of his feathers.

"You take my power, scamp," Archie told her, walking past Shelly to meet May's eyes directly. "I'm giving it to you. That woman… I don't think she's just any other Trainer. Not with the way she controlled those Dragon-type Pokemon of hers…"

May nodded thoughtfully, thinking back on their battle before – it hadn't been terribly difficult but with how unhinged her Pokemon were, keeping her guard up was definitely a good option.

"I got no idea what she's planning, but I think you're our best bet at stopping her now, little scamp. Do that for me," Archie continued, eyes pleading with her.

"I don't owe you anything," May said bluntly, eyes narrowing as she thought back to his earlier comment about a _slip of a woman_. "But I'll get your Key Stone back, anyways."

Taking a note straight out of Steven's book, she didn't wait for a response and instead walked straight out the door. May didn't even bother to put her newly obtained Sharpedonite away, still holding it tightly in her hand. Nova followed after her with ease, his own Mega Stone shimmering in the low light of the Aqua base.

* * *

May didn't even get ten feet out of the corridor when that awful, specific ringtone chimed from her PokeNav+. _Steven_. She answered it instantly. Somehow, despite her head still a swirling, confusing mess, she knew talking to him would bring some kind of comfort. She didn't dwell on that thought too long as she pressed the talk button, bringing the device to her ear.

"May!" Steven exclaimed from the other end of the line. "Are you all right!?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," May exhaled, allowing herself to lean on the wall for a moment. "I met up with Zinnia here, but she had just defeated Archie by the time I found her.

"Did she—"

"We didn't fight," May cut him off before he could start panicking, bringing her other hand up to pinch her nose before realizing she was still holding something. "I'm really fine, as are all my Pokemon. She didn't even try to go for my Key Stone, not that she would've won anyways."

"But she took Archie's," Steven stated after a moment. May could hear him releasing a long puff of air afterwards, and she found herself nodding though she knew he couldn't see it.

"Yeah, she did," May breathed out, disappointed. "She said she was heading to summon Rayquaza. I think she wants me to meet her at the Sky Pillar."

"Is that right," Steven said, and May couldn't figure out what that tone was. "I never even imagined… the Key Stone… the Sky Pillar… and the Draconid people," he paused, sounding worse for wear. "So that's it… I begin to see the line connecting these dots."

"Great, because I've got nothing," May told him, her exhaustion starting to get to her. "I thought I was starting to get it back in Mossdeep, but now I think I'm even more confused." Admitting that was hard, impossibly so, but May couldn't help but tell him.

"I think we need to meet up at once to discuss what we should do next," Steven said, and May found herself agreeing. "I'll be waiting at the Space Center. Up on the second floor."

"Okay," May said listlessly. "I'll be there soon."

"Do hurry." May heard the static of the call ending directly after, and she pushed the PokeNav+ back into her pocket. That was as much a goodbye as she'd ever gotten, and she wondered briefly what that meant.

She wanted nothing more than to shrink down to the floor, curl up in a ball and pass out; but instead, May pushed herself off the wall of the Aqua base. She put her newly obtained Sharpedonite in the special, tucked away pocket in her bag, afterwards fishing out an Escape Rope. With a sigh, she looked at Nova, who had stood in front of her the entire time.

"Ready to get out of here?" She asked her Pokemon, who nodded easily in response. May took a deep breath, starting to unfurl the item. "Okay. Let's head back to Mossdeep then, I guess."

She wasn't ready to do anything, really – except for maybe sleep. The lack of it was wracking her whole body, and her eyes felt heavier and heavier each time she blinked. Mossdeep wasn't exactly far from where she was, so she couldn't really sleep on the way over, either.

May sighed as she was teleported to the front entrance, already in the process of returning Nova to release Sharpedo once she chucked the remains of the Escape Rope. Fishing a bottle of coffee out of her bag, she downed it in seconds as her Sharpedo looked at her from the ocean concerned.

"I'm fine," she told her Pokemon. "Really. I'm fine."

Her Pokemon's face said that she didn't believe her Trainer one bit, but May didn't care at the moment. "Let's get out of here, okay? Let's stop this whole thing so we can finally rest."

Her Sharpedo nodded wearily as May hopped onto its back. "Besides," she smiled at her Pokemon. "I got you a present for later."

* * *

It wasn't as if May had actively avoided Mossdeep City before she took on the Pokemon League challenge, but it certainly hadn't been on the top of her list for places to visit during her two month interval between Kyogre and the Pokemon League. The place didn't exactly have the most pleasant memories for her, and when she realized Steven wouldn't be calling her during that time – well, she didn't exactly want to show up at his doorstep completely unannounced in the state she'd been in.

She hadn't stopped caring about what people thought of her, per se, but now that she was Hoenn's Hero and also their new Pokemon League Champion, she thought she should at least appear mentally sound to the general public by _not _showing up wailing at Steven's doorstep. Being rude, crass, and generally uncaring? That wasn't a problem in May's eyes, but that would've been a bit too much.

Sighing as she and her Tropius landed, she surveyed the city over again before returning her Pokemon. The people seemed to be going about their everyday lives as usual. That was good news, at least. Less panic meant less people asking her questions. May took out Nova's PokeBall, releasing her starter without even thinking as she finished her look around.

"You ready?" She asked her Blaziken, who nodded at her in response. "Good. Let's go."

The coffee she had chugged as she was leaving the Team Aqua base had definitely helped for the time being, but May knew her supply was running low and she'd need to grab more caffeine before doing anything else if she wasn't going to sleep. With another sigh, she and Nova started for the stairs to the Space Center, having gone there more times than she would've ever thought – or liked to – over the last 48 hours.

* * *

As soon as she made her way up the stairs to the second floor and into the main area of the room, Steven greeted her. "May!" He called out, and she walked over to where he was talking with one of the Professors, Nova in tow. "I have been expecting you!"

May nodded at him, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I know. Do you want more details on what happened?"

Steven nodded back, eagerly. "Yes, please. If you would."

May didn't want to take too much time explaining to him her latest run in with the Draconid Lorekeeper, but she did her best to get to everything important while hurrying through some of the less interesting bits. She consciously left out Zinnia calling Whismur her daughter; she didn't think it was that unusual to think of Pokemon as children, but there was something about the way she said it that put May on edge, and she didn't think it was necessary, anyways.

To be fair though, May reasoned with herself as she recounted the conversation between her, Archie, and the Lorekeeper, everything Zinnia said put her slightly on edge.

By the end of her explanation, Steven had moved his hand up to his chin, lost deep in thought. "Hm," was the first thing he said after she had finished speaking. "I see… that woman… that 'Zinnia'… she mentioned the Sky Pillar so directly."

"She said you would know about it," May said, trying her best to keep the childish curiosity from her voice.

"Few can enter it – only the successors of the ancient world, who know of what has been."

"Like the Draconids."

He nodded again. "The Lorekeepers who are tasked with passing on that knowledge to those who come after," Steven said, pausing before looking into May's eyes. "Do you remember Wallace, whom you met in Sootopolis?" The question struck May as odd.

"Of course I do," she answered, fighting back an eye roll. "He's kind of hard to forget." Besides the fact that he had been an odd character, he had also been one of the only people she felt comfortable talking to after Kyogre. They weren't friends – not in the traditional sense – but they were close, now, she supposed.

"Is that right? That is a relief," he cracked a smile, and she wondered if Wallace had never told him about their conversations. "The Gym Leader of Sootopolis, Wallace, should know how to undo the seal on the Sky Pillar's entrance. He is also one of the few humans to have inherited such ancient lore."

"Is that right?" May parroted. She wasn't surprised though, not at all. Wallace had been the only person who was allowed the knowledge of the Cave of Origin, and who was well informed on Kyogre's actual existence rather than just the myths. She wasn't sure how they were connected, Kyogre and Rayquaza, but now that Steven had mentioned his friend, and she felt stupid for not thinking of him in the first place.

He probably already knew who Zinnia was, too.

"I will remain here and work with the professor and his team to devise a plan for what to do next," Steven continued. "That woman… Zinnia… I cannot put my faith in her. We will think of a way to stop the meteoroid on our own. Zinnia and the Sky Pillar… I will leave them in your hands."

May nodded uneasily, but before she could reply, Steven kept talking.

"I will send a message to Wallace for you, so he knows how to help. You will probably find him in the Cave of Origin on Sootopolis. Can you handle that? Or should I tell him to meet you somewhere else? Either is fine," Steven assured her, but May froze regardless.

The Cave of Origin. Where everything had happened – where she and her Pokemon had all almost died. Could she go back? Could she handle that? Her brain was quickly turning to mush inside her skull as she tried to even begin processing the thought.

It wasn't until Nova firmly grasped her shoulder in a familiar, comforting gesture that she could snap herself out of it. She was here, right now, in the Space Center. Her Pokemon were all okay. They were all alive, with no lasting damage, and she took a deep breath.

"I don't think I can," May told him honestly, "but I will try."

And she would – for Hoenn, for Steven, for her Pokemon. She would go back and get Wallace's help if it meant that she could save them all from another crisis. She owed them all that much. They had given her a home, friends, a place to finally go exploring on her journey. To do what she had always wanted to do. The idea of not doing anything for them when they needed her most was not one that even crossed her mind, despite the risks and fears.

Steven nodded slowly at her, looking worried, but quickly tried to change the subject. He knew as well as she did how hard it was to get Wallace to leave Sootopolis – it just wasn't happening. "You know, that white beauty that you travel with," he started, and May knew instantly he was talking about Latias, who she had traveled with plenty after the issues with Kyogre. She hadn't seen her really since becoming Champion, though; the crisis taking priority and also making her fear for her Pokemon's safety.

"I'm reminded of the Legendary Pokemon Rayquaza, said to descend at the Sky Pillar. I once had the chance to see it face to face, although it was a long time ago, now," Steven continued, and May reeled. _What? _Steven had never mentioned that – though she wasn't sure why he would have, before. "The young man who battled against Rayquaza beside me," he trailed off, wistful, "I wonder whatever happened to him and that black Charizard of his."

May had so many questions she didn't even know where to begin. Black Charizard? Fighting Rayquaza? A Trainer strong enough to hold his own with Steven? He had successfully gotten her mind off of her shaking body, at the very least.

"Well, regardless," Steven smiled mysteriously at her. "You must go to the Sky Pillar and see what waits for you there. I don't know what you'll find," he said, his voice growing serious. "Be careful, May. I hate sending you into these situations, but…"

"But you're needed here," she finished for him. "I understand." And she did. He was incredibly intelligent – he would be much more useful here, with the scientists, working on a backup plan in case whatever Zinnia was trying failed spectacularly. She wasn't upset with him for that, at all.

This time around, he was not only just including her, but helping her make sense of everything – not just throwing her headfirst and feeling guilty about it later. This was better. An improvement.

"Yes," Steven sighed. "Please promise me you'll be safe."

"I can't promise that," she said, though she wished she could. "But I can try. Good luck."

"Same to you," he nodded at her. It was as much of a dismissal that she was going to get, and with that, May turned around to head for the stairs.

If she stayed with him any longer, his words of concern and pleading for her to be okay, she wouldn't have the heart to leave.

Just like last time he had said those kinds of things to her, May's heart warmed, pounding rapidly in her chest. She didn't try to squash it though – instead, she put a hand to her chest as she walked down, letting herself feel warm.

Facing the Cave of Origin after all this time wouldn't be easy. May was shaking again as she continued outside, hand still pressed firmly against herself. It had taken her practically the entire two months to even want to try going into Victory Road, somewhere completely unrelated that just happened to be a cave. How could she possibly expect herself to be able to make it into the Cave of Origin, where the incident had actually _happened?_

She shook her head. She had to. It was, quite literally, once again a life or death situation. It wasn't like she was doing this for fun, just to see how much she had improved mentally since that time. She was doing this to make sure she still had the time to improve herself later – to make sure _everyone_ had the time to do whatever it was they wanted to do.

It was a good reminder, though, she thought as she left the Space Center. A good reminder that she wasn't invincible, again. The only challenge she'd had in the months since the incident was battling Steven, and that was just one single person. Reminding herself that she was human, too, was probably a good thing before chasing Zinnia up the Sky Pillar, and possibly facing Rayquaza.

A lump formed in her throat at the thought, and she ducked into the PokeMart, trying to get her mind clear and to grab more coffee. After her quick stop, she returned Nova, once again taking out Tropius.

"I've been making you work so hard," she apologized to her Pokemon. "Thank you for all your hard work. I promise we'll get to rest soon. Hopefully."

Her Tropius nuzzled into her outstretched hand, trying to show her Trainer that she wasn't upset. May was so grateful for her Pokemon, especially in moments like these. The pang of anger that used to consume her came and went as she remembered that she almost didn't get to have this.

"We're going to Sootopolis, this time," May said, voice heavy. "Can you do it?" She wouldn't force her Pokemon. She, herself, sure, but if her Pokemon refused, she would march right back up to Steven and demand Wallace meet her somewhere else.

Tropius shook her leaves, the usual signal that she was ready for her Trainer to hop on. May gave her Pokemon one last comforting pat before doing so. "Okay," she said, breathing out. "I trust you. Let's go."

* * *

May's heart was heavy as they landed. She had loved Sootopolis; loved the water flowing from every direction, loved the people, loved the atmosphere. But the same things she loved so much terrified her, now. Not even waiting for Tropius to be returned, she had taken out Nova, whose taloned hand was already on her shoulder. May shuddered into the comforting touch, trying to ready herself the best she could. Being here – it felt like walking right back into hell.

Walking through the town, hopping on Sharpedo when needed to, it felt like the longest walk of May's life. Keeping Nova out constantly certainly made it take longer, in reality – but her Pokemon refused to leave her alone. May was grateful, again, for her Pokemon. That feeling had been near constant throughout this entire ordeal. As had her panic.

As she walked, May chugged two of the coffees she had bought from the PokeMart before leaving Mossdeep. She was now easily pushing 50 hours without the caffeine to keep her sane. It was very rare she had to keep moving, keep pushing herself on this little sleep. She could remember the last time she had done so, and that didn't sit well with her, either.

She was just crossing the bridge, shakily, to reach the Cave of Origin when she spotted Wallace. Breathing a sigh of relief that he wasn't as close to the Cave as she had assumed, she walked over, a bit more confidence in her step.

It was still a bit too close for comfort, but it was better than being directly in front of it, after all.

"What a… glorious turn of events," Wallace shook his head as he spoke to another man, one May didn't recognize.

"Is it really?" The man let out a laugh. "Is it really?"

"To think that this tree," Wallace said, sighing to himself. "I never knew we had received it from that huge man who visited from the Kalos region," he trailed off. "Goodness me, old master. This has been a learning experience. I thank you for this."

The man, who May now assumed to be Wallace's 'old master', whatever that meant, laughed again as she walked closer to the pair. "You're too kind, Master Wallace!"

"No, no, you're too modest," Wallace said, trying to laugh himself but falling flat. He turned, with a sigh, to face May, trying his best to smile at her. "Now then. Welcome again to Sootopolis, our new Champion, May."

She raised a hand in greeting. "Here I am," she said, her voice a lot less shaky then she expected. Good.

"Steven has told me everything," he continued, nodding to her. "Do you wish to go to the Sky Pillar?"

May wished for a lot of things. She wished to get out of this area. She wished to know what that tree had to do with anything that was going on; if anything at all. She wished to know who this 'old master' was. She did not, really, wish to go to the Sky Pillar, but this was the one thing out of her current list that she actually had to accomplish.

"That's right," she said after a long moment.

"It is true the cave that leads to the Sky Pillar can only be opened by the hand of someone descended from the ancient people of Sootopolis… as, indeed, I am," he said, and May nodded along, already having figured that out from Steven. "Or," he continued sharply, "by one of the Draconids, who have also lived in Hoenn since ancient times."

May didn't say anything to that, also having figured that out in Mossdeep, so Wallace just continued, unperturbed. "The Sky Pillar is in fact an altar built for the ascension of Rayquaza – the legendary Pokemon long said to be the protector of the Hoenn region."

_Well, _May thought to herself, _at least this time around it's not the destroyer I'm dealing with_. In truth, she was horrified at the prospect of facing another legendary Pokemon after seeing what Kyogre had been capable of. It somewhat eased her mind to know that the myths surrounding this one were not of destruction, but protection instead. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, he wouldn't want to fight her. Wouldn't that be nice.

"Only the ancient Draconid people know how to summon Rayquaza to the Sky Pillar," Wallace said after a pause. "Steven had told me of the woman Zinnia. She must be trying to revive Rayquaza for some purpose."

"There's a lot going on," May admitted to him, looking down at her shoes. "I can't tell you everything. I wouldn't even be sure where to start, I haven't slept in two days." She laughed a little at her own words. Desperately, she hoped she could sleep on the way to the Sky Pillar – she needed it.

"Are you and Steven… on speaking terms, now?" Wallace asked carefully, searching her face for an answer. Her eyes widened, somehow forgetting that up until she challenged him for his title, they hadn't spoken since Kyogre.

"Yes," she replied testily. "There's… unfinished business," she decided on saying, "but in the current crisis… yes, we're on speaking terms."

It was hard to say that out loud, really, but it was true. She had barely thought about it over the last few days, but there was so much they needed to talk out, still. So much of her feelings were still unsaid and she was unsure of. She knew how she felt about him, but some of the things he had said and done during this crisis that made her uneasy. They needed to talk like real adults instead of him ignoring her for months, only to try and work things out in a Champion level Pokemon battle.

Wallace sighed deeply as he continued to watch her, a frown etching its way onto his perfect face. "I shall go first to the Sky Pillar," he said, voice heavy. "When your preparations are complete, come join me. The Sky Pillar towers over everything upon one of Route 131's small islands."

Wallace, like Steven, didn't wait for her to respond. As soon as she had nodded about where to even find the Sky Pillar, he left, presumably already heading out. The old master he had been talking to beforehand stayed and watched him go, before turning and going back to his own thing.

With a deep sigh, May tried to put together in her mind the best way to get there. Probably by Sharpedo, though it wasn't the fastest and she couldn't easily nap on her. She could try – she'd done it in the past, though it didn't usually work out very well for either of them – but May also vaguely wondered if she had time to take an hour long nap before she even left. Zinnia wouldn't wait for her, the world certainly wouldn't wait for her, but May was losing her mind the longer this never-ending day went on.

She opened her mouth to tell Nova she would just go to the Sky Pillar, but one look at her starter Pokemon's glare had her closing it immediately.

"Okay, okay," she finally rescinded. "I'll go catch a quick nap at the Pokemon Center before heading out. Okay?"

Nova nodded in approval, already pushing her away from the Cave of Origin to the mainland of Sootopolis once again. _Just an hour, though, _she told herself, knowing that she wouldn't forgive herself if she slept for any longer than that. She had bought all of those coffee bottles at the Mossdeep PokeMart, anyways – no point in wasting them.

* * *

**Notes**

Not quite as long as last week, haha. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter anyway. As always, next chapter will be up next **Sunday, May 26th**! Hope you guys had a better week then me, and see y'all later!


	13. Chapter Eleven - Sky Pillar, part I

**Notes**

So sorry for the missed week! I came down with the flu of all things a few days before last Sunday, making it impossible for me to edit this chapter together with such a high fever! I wish I could promise a double update as I have before when I've missed weeks, but since I only started feeling better a few days ago, this is all I have for you today :( I hope you guys enjoy this anyways! I had to split this chapter in half because I felt like it was way too long otherwise, but I hope it's still a good length for everyone.

Thank you as always to those of you who've reviewed, favorited/followed/whatever, or even just read this fic. It means the world to me, as we come down to the last few chapters.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Sky Pillar, part I**

After what felt like hours of searching endlessly, May had finally found the entrance to the Sky Pillar. It really shouldn't have been so difficult – the Pillar was huge, and towered over everything just as Wallace had told her it would – but still, she sighed with relief when she finally reached shore and returned Sharpedo.

"So you've come, May," Wallace greeted her as soon as she reached him, looking pensive as he stood in front of the cave entrance. She forced herself to swallow. "As you can see, I've undone the seal on the entrance to the Sky Pillar." He turned around, looking into the dark cave.

"Thank you," she replied, exhaustion already catching up to her yet again. She really needed another coffee.

"Follow the path within, and you will reach the pillar in time. However," he paused, facing her once again, "to go beyond this point, there is one more trial you must overcome."

"Wallace, cut the crap," May said, not liking where this was going, but he ignored her outright.

"This is my duty as one of the ancient Sootopolitans, a duty passed down to me by my former master. You must battle me," Wallace said, enlarging a PokeBall at his side, "here and now."

"Seriously?" She hadn't even gotten the chance to let Nova out, yet. It felt odd backing up and having to enlarge a PokeBall, instead of Nova already being prepared to battle.

"Prove to me that your power is great enough to face what lies ahead!" He shouted, throwing his first PokeBall into the air. May followed suit with ease, already trying to remember what Pokemon he had started with during their last battle.

She sighed to herself as Nova materialized in front of her, shaking himself as he did so. They really didn't have time to be doing this, but she supposed she had no choice.

"I'm the Champion, Wallace," May called back, eyes narrowed. "I'll beat you in no time!"

* * *

After defeating Wallace – she wasn't even sure _why _he had challenged her, really; it's not like she hadn't beaten him before – he allowed her entrance to the Sky Pillar. A familiar chant of _finally, this could all be over _went on repeat in May's head. If she could stop Zinnia, or even _help _Zinnia if the Draconid woman truly had a chance, then this crisis could be over and done with, and things could finally go back to normal. Or she could at least finally have the chance to learn her new normal, now that she was Hoenn's Champion.

Of course, nothing was ever that easy for May.

It took her twenty minutes after Wallace had taken off to even step foot inside the cave to _get _to the Sky Pillar, Nova holding her shoulder the entire way through. Being in the cave had done nothing but increase her anxieties about the situation, and she almost had a full-on panic attack once she stepped in. It wasn't even a very deep or complicated cave system; it was actually incredibly straightforward. Walk forward, and you end up at the exit. You could even see it once you stepped in, far off in the distance.

However, that did little to ease her mind. Instead, Nova had to practically push her through the entire thing. She was breathing heavily and shaking by the time she got through the exit, standing at the top of the system where the Sky Pillar towered over the land.

Steven hadn't been kidding when he said that it was huge. It was practically as large as the Devon Building, if not bigger.

After taking a few more minutes to calm herself down, May breathed a sigh and looked to her starter Pokemon. "Are you ready?" She asked Nova, voice steady once again.

Nova cooed in response, seemingly asking her if _she _was ready. May just laughed. "No," she said honestly, "but I have to be. You don't. I could send someone else in, if you wanted."

He shook his head easily at his Trainer, pointing them to the open entrance of the Sky Pillar. _After you_, he seemed to say, and May couldn't help but grin up at him. It was a little worse for wear, but certainly an improvement from even just minutes ago.

"Let's go, then!"

* * *

_Thousands of years ago, in the primal age long lost, the world was overflowing with natural energy. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre fought over that energy in endless, furious clashes. In the face of Primal Groudon and Kyogre's great power, people could do nothing. The only choice was to watch as disaster upon disaster swept over them. It was in such a time that a great many meteoroids poured from the darkness of space, from a place higher even than the heavens. And the meteoroids fell in their multitude upon a waterfall that had long been home to a tribe of Dragon-type Pokemon users._

_The meteors shone with a rainbow brilliance, as if some great life was held within. That was when, as if drawn by the brilliance, a Pokemon that shone in a blazing emerald hue descended from the heavens… That Pokemon was none other than Rayquaza. Rayquaza's power overwhelmed that of the two Primal Pokemon, and peace returned to the world. The people of Hoenn revered Rayquaza as a true savior. A thousand years after this time, the meteoroids once again fell. A huge meteoroid, far greater than any before, struck the planet, boring deep into the ocean and leaving behind a crater lager than any other. The land born of this event later became known as Sootopolis._

_The great meteoroid was the first of many disasters to befall humanity. When it punched into the planet, the land cracked beneath it, and a great welling of natural energy poured from beneath Hoenn. Thirsting for that energy, Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon once again woke. The people had a wish - a memory from a thousand years before… They wished that the Legendary Pokemon clad in emerald light would appear again. The huge meteoroid that lay at the heart of Sootopolis gave off a boundless brilliance. In its brilliance, it resembled a vast and powerful Key Stone. And once again, Rayquaza descended from whence it came in the heavens. The people fell to their knees before Rayquaza and made a wish for salvation. As they did, a great change came over the Legendary Pokemon. It was enveloped in a blinding light. As the light receded, they beheld a Rayquaza beyond all knowledge - a sublime figure, incandescent with overwhelming life force. It was humanity's wish that brought about Rayquaza's transformation in the face of the rainbow stone… Yes… a wish… an intangible thing, invisible to the eye. Yet this wish bound people and Pokemon together, enabling the Legendary Pokemon to change its appearance… doesn't it remind you of something? That's right… it sounds like Mega Evolution, doesn't it?_

_Rayquaza once again confronted Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. The golden filaments that sprang from its body covered the sky. An emerald brilliance illuminated the area. A terrible wind rose. _

_The wind and emerald light visibly sapped the power from Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Drained of their primal powers, the two vanished into the depths of land and sea. Rayquaza watched them go, regaining its usual appearance. Then it soared back up into the heavens where it dwelled. A witness to this series of events, a tall visitor from a distant land, said, "It is the __Δ __born of the great disturbances in this world. By the bonds born of mankind's wish and the power of the stones, it will calm the troubles that plague the world". That was when the Draconids constructed their great tower, to hold the rainbow stone that had granted Rayquaza its power, and to try to get a little bit closer to Rayquaza in the heavens above. To record the history of their trials and the great feats of might Rayquaza for all to know, they left behind the murals you see here._

_A thousand years of peace followed after that disastrous time. But the Draconid people, learning from their long history's cyclical nature, foretold that the meteoroids would fall on this land again. The meteoroid to come, they prophesized, would be far greater than those that had come before it. This meteoroid would be great enough to break the world forever…_

_In order to prevent this great calamity, those who held the knowledge of the past arrived at a plan. Their plan was to invoke Rayquaza, the great savior, and summon it to this land before the meteoroid could strike._

* * *

Everything had become a muddled blur in May's mind in such a short amount of time.

Since entering the Sky Pillar, Zinnia had thanked her honestly for coming after her, and in exchange for doing so, had begun to tell her the tales that were passed down to her as a Lorekeeper. And in those tales, May started to understand more and more about the Hoenn region, about the land there, and more importantly, about Zinnia.

"I spent a long time thinking about how I could protect the happiness of as many people as possible," Zinnia told her, after finishing her story. "What I must do, as one who holds both the knowledge and the power… One who bears the heavy wishes of those who could not live up to that fate… Well, had to be really creative, you know?"

May didn't say anything as she watched Zinnia go, having nothing _to _say in that moment. She didn't say anything to her story, she didn't say anything to her declaration at the end; instead staying deep, deep in thought.

There were so many questions she still had, so many answers she now knew. May understood Zinnia, then – she understood the horrible fate that had been placed on her, the weight of the world breaking her back as she struggled to figure out a way to save everyone, no longer thinking of herself at all in the process.

May had taken that pressure and sat still for two months, unable to move forward. Zinnia, on the other hand, had broken her own mind, doing the only thing she could think of in order to meet her fate head on.

Looking at the final ladder, where Zinnia had just disappeared through, May heaved a long, deep sigh. "Let's go," she said to Nova softly, feeling her heart break more and more.

More than anything, though she didn't quite understand why the feeling was so strong in that moment, she wished she could apologize to Steven for everything. Apologize for treating him so badly, apologize for blaming him for so long, apologize for being the reason he couldn't fulfill his duty of Champion when the Kyogre incident struck. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, in that moment, but couldn't.

She promised herself she would when she finished this. He deserved that much from her, at least.

* * *

"Welcome to the Dragonhark altar," Zinnia greeted May once she had situated herself properly.

The sky had dimmed considerably during May's time in the tower, and once again she wondered how long it had been – how many days, now – since she had become Champion; since this had all started. She wasn't sure. Everything had become a mess in her head, from both lack of sleep and too much information.

"May," Zinnia continued, looking at her seriously. "You know what I am trying to do here by now, don't you?"

"Yes," May said firmly, feeling almost entirely out of place there. "You're here for Rayquaza."

"That's right," the Draconid Lorekeeper confirmed, nodding. "I will summon Rayquaza to this world to destroy the meteoroid headed for Hoenn. That is my… it is our duty," she told May with an off smile. "Ever since I was a little girl, I have always turned my eyes up to the sky. When I was so full of uncertainty that I felt my heart might be crushed by it… when I was so grief-stricken and alone I thought my heart might break of it," Zinnia paused, turning her head towards the sky and closing her eyes, "I turned and looked up there… so that my tears would never, ever fall. What about you? Have you ever had to do something like that?"

May thought back to her childhood – to her disappearing act of a father, to her sick mother, to being forced to stay put when all she wanted to do was run away. She thought of watching all her classmates leave, year after year, until she was the only one left in school. She thought of the crushing disappointment she felt, that fateful day, when her mother sat her down and said she wouldn't be allowed to go on her journey; a rite of passage, a normal thing that every single child out there would be allowed to do. She thought of the devastating headaches, her déjà vu episodes, and the eerie knowledge of people before she had ever met them alienating her even further from others.

She thought of Kyogre, too – her fear of caves and dark spaces that now plagued her. Watching as her Pokemon fell, crippled, one by one to its mighty force. She thought of gritting her teeth as she shouted command after command, her Pokemon refusing to return to their PokeBalls and _give up_, as she herself was battered and bruised from the fight.

She thought about how after she got her Pokemon, she would lean on them for support constantly. How before that, she had tried to shield herself away from her hurt feelings by becoming an angry, bitter mess of a person, never wanting anyone to see her true self.

"Yes," May told her honestly. "Yes, I have."

Zinnia, however, scoffed at her. "Right," she said slowly in disbelief. She had turned herself back to face May, but didn't bother looking into her eyes as she responded. A few years ago, maybe even a few months ago, this would've pissed May off in an instant. May she was too exhausted, now, to be that angry, because she didn't feel anything at all.

"I used to watch the stars like this all the time," Zinnia continued after a moment, turning back up to look at the sky. "We were always together. In good times and in bad. I loved her. I loved her with everything I had." She smiled widely, but it was devoid of anything a smile usually contained – it was nothing more than a grimace, really. "But I still lost her."

May was taken back at the admission, and she almost moved back away from Zinnia when the other woman burst into laughter. She didn't know who this Aster was – vaguely, she recalled that it was also the name of her Whismur – but she could imagine the pain of losing someone that important. After all, she had almost lost every single one of her Pokemon, one by one, in front of her eyes.

"I want to see her," Zinnia said after her laughter died down a bit. "I want to be with her again. My sweet Aster… I will, won't I? With this, just a little longer…" Her voice quieted down to nothing more than a whisper, and May took a step forward.

May's mind snapped into focus in that moment, realizing what Zinnia could potentially do. If she was going to do with Rayquaza what she thought she was going to do, she had to stop Zinnia. She wouldn't let her use the Legendary Pokemon's power for her own gain – not when there were people's lives on the line.

"Zinnia—" May began, but before she could even get another word in, Zinnia was in front of her.

"Sorry, May," she heard, along with Nova's panicked screeching, before her entire world went dark.

* * *

May awoke with a start, gasping for air as she reached out to touch empty space. Her Blaziken cooed worriedly next to her, leaning on his knee to cradle her body. Gasping for air, May looked around her frantically, trying to make sense of the situation.

She was still on the Sky Pillar roof, Nova appeared to be okay and unharmed, she could feel her other PokeBalls at her waist, and Zinnia—

Was standing right in front of her, apologetic grin on her face.

"Guess I should say good morning?" Zinnia started, almost sheepish. "You slept well, didn't you? You look so adorable when you sleep," she stopped, before continuing again. "Sorry about the knocking you out thing," she added, as if an afterthought.

"You did what," May said, her voice raspy and throat burning. She needed water badly. Fumbling with her bag as she glared at Zinnia, she refused to take her eyes off the woman. After finally fishing out a bottle of water and taking a long swig, she tried again. "What the hell did you _do_?"

Zinnia sighed and turned away from her, walking towards the middle of the platform. "Enough," she said, voice turning serious. "I think it's time I gave it a shot."

May's brain was scrambling to try and keep up. "Give what a shot?" She demanded, throat still feeling like it was on fire. She must've only been asleep for an hour or two at most, she guessed, looking at the sky. Her body, May assumed, had been too exhausted to heal properly, and just kept her asleep.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you," Zinnia told her solemnly. "If something happens to me… please take this little one…" Her Whismur, Aster, scampered over to behind May as Zinnia moved herself into position. "Okay," she breathed. "Here I go."

"Wait, Zinnia–!" May called, reaching out, but she tripped over her own two feet trying to scramble up. Nova caught her, and shook his head.

_We are too late, _he seemed to be trying to convey. _We will do what we must in the aftermath. You do not have the strength._

Shaking her head right back at him, May felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "But I – but we're –"

But she really was too late. Zinnia had already begun the ritual from the looks of things, and May's body couldn't move right. As important as this was, she couldn't ask Nova to attack a defenseless human. She wouldn't. Instead, May let her tears fall freely as she watched, praying to whatever higher power that was listening that something could still be done; or that there was any light left in Zinnia at all.

* * *

The roof shook with power, and May stumbled into Nova to keep herself upright, Zinnia's Whismur clinging onto her leg. May stared in front of her, straight ahead, barely even registering Zinnia in between her and the legendary dragon.

May could hardly breathe. It really was there; a brilliant, emerald green dragon, its calls piercing the skies above them.

Rayquaza continued to shriek as Zinnia screamed out, "I did it!" Exhaustion painted her tone. "Now the world… will be saved!" May did a double take, relief instantly seeping into her veins. She wondered if this meant that Zinnia really _did _have some good left in her, and that she really did put the world in front of her own desires to see whoever Aster was again.

"Aster… Aster, I did it!" After her joy, Zinnia took a minute to breathe, and May saw the determination come back into her eyes.

"Great Rayquaza!" Zinnia began again, facing the legendary dragon head on. "Hear my wish! Achieve your Mega Evolution! Take hold of your true power! Show me your true face! The Rayquaza that will save this planet!"

Everything was quiet for a long minute, the only sounds to be heard were the rushing winds that Rayquaza brought with it. May and Zinnia waited with baited breath, staring at the Key Stone strapped to the Draconid's leg.

Nothing happened.

Zinnia stumbled back after a few more moments of nothingness. "How can this be!? I gathered all of the Key Stones that could withstand your great power… and summoned you here… you came… and yet," she trailed off, confusion and pain everywhere in her voice. "Why?!"

Her question boomed across the rooftop, and May winced at the noise; somehow worse than Rayquaza's previous shrieking. The green dragon stared impassively, watching her breakdown unfold with blank eyes.

"Come on! Do it!" Zinnia screamed, desperation growing. "Mega Evolve! Why!? Why won't you…" she looked down at her Key Stone strapped to her leg again, only to see nothing change.

Finally, Rayquaza _kehr_'d at her, and something seemed to click inside Zinnia's head. "What," it came out as a whisper, but May could hear it like it was the loudest thing in the world. She wasn't even sure if she was still breathing, watching everything unfold. "It can't be… the one without enough power is you, Rayquaza? The Meteorites that should lie within Rayquaza's great body… aren't enough? Have these thousand years drained them of their power?"

May watched Zinnia fall to her knees, processing exactly what went wrong and what had happened. Part of May genuinely hadn't expected any of this to work – even once Rayquaza showed up, part of her really didn't think it would just… go along with the plan, just like that. Her only experience with legendary beasts of this caliber had been Kyogre, and she shuddered just at the thought. There was a reason she hadn't tried to catch it, besides the obvious issue of _all of her Pokemon had almost died_.

But part of her… part of her had desperately wanted this to work. Part of her wanted to believe this was the better solution, to rely on something natural, something that wouldn't potentially kill an entire other planet of people and Pokemon – an alternate Hoenn, one that she might've been dreaming of for years.

Zinnia muttered to herself in despair on the ground, saying how she couldn't take it; and May couldn't take it anymore, either. Glaring, she opened her bag, taking out the Meteorite she knew was still there. _It's worth a shot_, she thought to herself, gripping it tightly within her hands.

"What? That Meteorite?!" Zinnia exclaimed, shuffling herself behind May as the stone in her hand began to glow brightly. "It's just like…"

May didn't bother to hide her amazement that her stupid, last ditch effort plan might actually have a chance. Never in a million years had she expected it to actually work – it was more just a show of how badly she _wanted_ it to.

"A Mega Stone," May confirmed, eyes narrowed at the legendary dragon in front of her. She was trembling, but she didn't back down. "You want this so bad?" She asked as Rayquaza screeched at her in what she could only assume was surprise. "Then take it!"

With a hefty throw, she chucked the glowing stone right at Rayquaza's face, who greedily swallowed it whole. May and Zinnia both watched as it shrieked again, a bright light enveloping it, coming out of its body.

"Whoa!" Zinnia gasped, and May let out a thin smile at the sight. "Swallowing meteorites allows it to store as much power as a Mega Stone. Your Meteorite summoned forth the power needed for Rayquaza to Mega Evolve!"

The Lorekeeper was rambling, May knew, but she didn't say anything about it. It was working – she was more or less too stunned by that fact alone to bother, though she didn't quite understand _why_ even as Zinnia explained it. The bright white light turned green in front of her eyes, and Zinnia turned to face May, hair whipping every which way with the wind that had been building up around them.

"May! Rayquaza wants to test you, the one who gave it this power!" Zinnia called out, and May blanched.

"What?!" She screamed, fear instantly hitting her. Nova's hand was on her shoulder before she even had a chance to process it, remaindering her that he was okay – that he was alive. "But—but—you're right here! You battle it!"

She couldn't – wouldn't – battle another legendary Pokemon. Not after last time.

But Zinnia shook her head, grinning at May. "Use everything you've got and win over Rayquaza! You have to master it!" May shook her head right back at her, taking every bit of focus she had not to whip out Tropius' PokeBall and make a break for it, even despite the high winds. "This is the legendary Pokemon that all of Hoenn views as our great protector! And the only one who can direct it now… it's you! You have to do this!"

None of her words eased May's mind, not even what _had _before this entire ordeal – great protector. Looking at it now, this beast with winds whipping in all directions, green light coming off of it in waves… all May could think about was Kyogre, how horrible it was to have faced that creature, and what it had almost done to her, her Pokemon, and the world.

Nova, however, stepped forward, turning around to face his Trainer. May stumbled from no longer having him support her weight, but looked him in the eyes once she caught herself, surprised by what she found there.

"You… you want to do this?" her voice was hoarse, still, and came out as no more than a whisper. "Are you sure?"

Nova nodded at her, as serious as May had ever seen the Blaziken before. _Yes_, his eyes told her. _If we can help, I want to do this._

Taking a few deep breaths, May looked around her. She was not in a cave, she reminded herself. She was not stuck in that awful suit, miles underground, away from anyone else. There was no endless rain this time, there was no evil beast trying its hardest to kill her, and everything in its way. It was just her, Zinnia, their Pokemon, and Rayquaza, on top of this giant tower the people of Hoenn had made just for it.

After what felt like an eternity, May nodded at Nova. "Okay," she said, fighting down her panic. "If that's what you want, I'll count on you."

Slowly, slowly, she walked up to the green dragon in front of her, its massive body covering most of the rooftop. "I will face you," she told it, looking up into its serpentine eyes. "Let's go."

The legendary dragon screeched again, moving itself back to make room for battle. She had no idea how she was going to fight something this massive, but May took another deep breath anyways, watching Nova walk forward. Her Key Stone felt hot on her wrist, and his Mega Stone was already glowing brightly on his chest before the battle had even begun.

They would do this. Together. Just as they always had.

_Nobody will get hurt this time_, May promised herself, jumping into her first command. _Nobody_.

* * *

**Notes**

And there you have it! Second part of the Sky Pillar chapter will be out at it's normal time, **June 9th**! Thanks very much for sticking with me, and have a great week, everyone.


	14. Chapter Twelve - Sky Pillar, part II

**Notes**

Hello, and happy Sunday! Hope your week has went well. Mine has been super busy, haha. I recently started a second job, so it's been a lot, but I'm slowly figuring out a good routine for myself! Anyways, here it is: the second to last full chapter. Next week will be the last normal chapter, and then the epilogue after that. Thank you to everyone who's stuck with this story, or is even just reading it for the first time now. Your patience with me, and your support, has and will continue to mean the world to me.

Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Sky Pillar, part II**

May panted wildly as the PokeBall sealed itself shut, the red light in the center finally blinking off. Two of her Pokemon had fainted, but Rayquaza – Rayquaza hadn't been fighting to kill, not like Kyogre had. Every time one of her Pokemon had fainted, the green dragon waited patiently for her to send out a new Pokemon onto the field, easing May's fears and allowing her to properly battle it.

It wasn't an easy fight, by any means, but May was the Hoenn League Champion. Once she felt comfortable and grounded, Rayquaza hadn't stood a chance.

Metagross held itself with pride as May leaned into her Pokemon, exhausted from the match. She may have beaten the legendary Pokemon soundly, but these kinds of battles always tired her out. The amount of energy she expended keeping up Nova's Mega Evolution for as long as she did… it was a lot, to say the least.

"Is it… over?" Zinnia's voice came in a whisper, staring at the PokeBall that sat neatly in the middle of the Sky Pillar rooftop.

May hadn't had many PokeBalls on her, not needing to catch many things since she had a team she was satisfied with. She was lucky enough to even have had the stash that she _did_, honestly. Looking at the stationary PokeBall was almost surreal, and she shook herself before looking to Zinnia and nodding.

"Yeah," she breathed out, "it's done."

"Congratulations, May," the Draconid Lorekeeper smiled at her – a real, genuine smile. "And… thank you."

Smiling back, May pushed herself into a more upright position; still leaning a lot of her body weight on her shiny Metagross. "You're welcome," she said, not knowing really what else to say – _you're welcome _felt lame in context, but May's brain was entirely fried.

"History had chosen you," Zinnia whispered, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before continuing. May let her take her time, not in any sort of position to push the other woman, anyways. "The truth remains that Rayquaza chose you and not me… but… while I don't know how to put it into words exactly," she opened her eyes as she spoke, meeting May's gaze head on. "I think I understand why."

May shifted her weight on Metagross, staying silent at the other woman's admission. She didn't know what to say to that, either. It crashed down onto May in that moment that Zinnia had spent her entire life being told that this was _her _duty, that this was something _only _she could do, only to be upstaged by a stranger who happened to have some strong Pokemon. It didn't seem fair, and May frowned as she thought about it. She certainly wouldn't've been that calm if she were in Zinnia's shoes.

"You will be successor to our long history now," Zinnia continued, seemingly unperturbed by her silence, "and I pass to you the final key to Rayquaza's true power."

"True power?" May questioned, brain struggling to keep up. She needed one of those coffees, probably closer to five minutes ago.

"The move that only it can learn: Dragon Ascent." She turned away from May, grabbing the PokeBall containing the legendary dragon and gripping it with care. After a moment of looking pained, the red light in the center flashed briefly, and Zinnia smiled a tight smile, handing it over to May.

Quickly shoving the now empty bottle of coffee back into her bag, she took the PokeBall gingerly. "Thank you."

"I guess… it's time that I do my last task as Lorekeeper." Zinnia's eyes shone in the light as she spoke, and May would recognize that look anywhere. She was thankful to have gulped down that coffee, now. "You have obtained Rayquaza's power for your own, and now I will have you prove to me that you can master that power in battle! That is my final… the final duty of the last Lorekeeper of the Draconid people!"

May was taken aback by her words. Had she really ended an entire thousand years of tradition today? She almost wanted to shove the PokeBall into Zinnia's hands, but the other woman continued, not letting May get a word in at all.

"Show me that you can exceed it – the entirety of history that we have clung to until today!" Zinnia shouted, backing up to allow room for her Goodra to come out onto the makeshift battlefield the rooftop provided. Her grin was manic and wild, and May almost wanted to cry.

It had never been her intention to follow Zinnia up here to rip away her history, her duty, her entire purpose. She had just wanted to save Hoenn – to make sure that there was _a way _to save the place she loved; the place that she had called home since the moment she'd arrived.

She threw out Rayquaza's new PokeBall, almost reluctantly, but even with guilt and exhaustion gnawing on her May couldn't deny the excitement she felt at the prospect of battling with the legendary dragon. Just as she had been excited to have Latias before, it was exhilarating like nothing else.

"Let's see what you can do!" She called out once it had materialized in front of her, not bothering to fight the grin that was making its way onto her face. "Dragon Ascent!"

* * *

If May had been exhausted before from holding Nova's Mega Evolution for so long, she was a dead person walking after finally fainting Zinnia's Mega Evolved Salamence. Rayquaza, too, had a Mega Evolution, just as Zinnia had told her, and May had never felt that kind of pull in her stomach before.

Plenty of Pokemon on her team were capable of Mega Evolution – Nova, her starter Pokemon, of course. Metagross. Altaria. Latias, when she was on her team. Most recently, Sharpedo, though she hadn't even had a chance to try that out, yet. The tug she felt from it was generally the same: it took quite a bit of energy, and her stomach usually felt queasy afterwards, but she could _do it_, despite the pain.

Way back when she had went to help Latias with Steven, she had wondered if she was worthy of Mega Evolution. If she was capable of unlocking her Pokemon's greatest strength with them; if they would even let her. What she once fretted over heavily became a natural part of any tough or grueling battle, the Mega Bracelet that sat on her wrist full of her own life energy at this point.

But Mega Evolving Rayquaza had been far more than what May had been expecting.

It _hurt_. May didn't think she'd ever been this exhausted after a simple battle before – Zinnia had not even been that much of a challenge, despite her team of high level dragon-types. Steven had been far more of a challenge for her. But even so, May staggered back after Salamence finally fell, swaying hard trying to keep herself steady on her feet.

"Just like I'd expected of you, May," Zinnia said as she returned her fallen Pokemon, but May hardly even registered the praise.

She fished out a bottle of water after sitting herself down soundly on the ground, gulping it down greedily. "It was a good battle," she finally told Zinnia after a few long moments. Her throat still burned, and she took another long swig.

"I guess it falls to you now," Zinnia began, but trailed off quickly, before shaking her head and walking over to where May sat. She blinked blearily at her, trying her hardest to wake herself up, even just a little. "That settles it, then – May, you should even be able to beat that meteoroid that's approaching the planet. You and Rayquaza… together."

May was sure she must've misheard the Lorekeeper. "You want me to fight… the meteoroid?" May asked, wondering briefly is she was just hallucinating. Or maybe she had fallen asleep after the battle had ended. She wouldn't put it past herself – she was far, far past her normal limit.

"I am leaving this task to you, our new Successor," Zinnia continued as if she hadn't even heard May's question, and May frowned a little. "Successor May. You and Rayquaza must protect nature… Pokemon… the people…"

She held her hand out for May to take, helping pull the Champion up to her feet once again. "You still have that Aqua Suit, right?"

May was absolutely sure she was going to faint, now.

* * *

The plan was insane. This was, without a doubt, the craziest thing May had ever done in her entire life. Forget going into the Cave of Origin to drive down beneath the cave to fight an enraged Primal Kyogre. This was, somehow, crazier.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, May wondered if she should call Steven and tell him that despite everything, she was, probably, in love with him; considering she may very well end up _dead_ in the void of space.

There was a large, large part of May that felt terrified of being in the Aqua Suit yet again, too. There was an even larger part of her that regretted coming up here to the Sky Pillar, that regretting fighting Steven and accepting his position of Champion and not letting him continue to be the leader of the Hoenn Region. Not once when she had taken off on her first day in Hoenn did May ever think this was how her life would end up. Not once in her wildest, wildest dreams, did she ever think she would have control over a legendary dragon and would be heading into space to fight a rock.

She shook herself, the fear and adrenaline coursing through her forcing her to wake up, and thought about her Pokemon – how they were all safe and okay. They had been healed before she got into the Aqua Suit, and she had gotten to see each and everyone one of them before returning them to their PokeBalls. Technically, she was living a bit illegally right now, seeing as a Trainer was never supposed to have more than six Pokemon on them at a time, but she did not have the heart to send any one of her team members to the PC. They had been through everything together. May couldn't imagine going into another life or death scenario without any one of them.

Part of her had wanted to send them all back, though. Especially her Altaria, who had broken both of her wings against Kyogre. She didn't think her beautiful dragon-type could handle another injury like that. However, they had all refused when she had taken them all out to heal. She wouldn't go against her Pokemon's wishes. Not in a situation like this. They deserved to have the agency that May had never had when she was younger, and she wouldn't take that away from them.

So May sighed, bracing herself as she climbed on top of Rayquaza. She had never flowed on a Pokemon other than Tropius, Altaria, or Latias, and saying she was nervous would've been an understatement. After all, she was going into _space_. To fight a _meteoroid._

She gave Rayquaza a pat on the neck to let him know she was ready, and the legendary Pokemon shot straight into the sky like a bullet; a green tail of bright light following behind him as he did so. May clung on for dear life as they rocketed into the atmosphere, the Sky Pillar getting smaller and smaller behind them as they went.

* * *

As soon as they landed back on top of the Sky Pillar, May fell off of Rayquaza, completely and totally drained.

She wasn't coherent as her Pokemon all forced themselves out of their PokeBalls, one by one helping her out of the Aqua Suit as she leaned on Rayquaza with her entire body weight. Her grip on the PokeBall she had caught the weird space Pokemon – Deoxys, she vaguely remembered her PokeDex saying – in went slack, and it rolled out of her hand, stopping only when Tropius halted its path.

All of her Pokemon gathered around her, comforting her and making sure she was alright as May wept uncontrollably. It wasn't that she was upset, or hurt; nothing about fighting Deoxys had been particularly triggering or difficult for her to do. She was just so emotionally and physically drained that it was like her body didn't know what else to do in that moment.

Rayquaza was patient with her, as were all of her Pokemon, as she cried and cried until she had nothing left in her. After her sobs had subsided, Nova slowly reached into her bag and brought out her water bottle, which she took from him wordlessly.

After what felt like hours, May finally gave a shaky smile to her team, thanking each and every one of them individually for their help as she put them back inside of their PokeBalls, save for Nova and Rayquaza. Nova would stay out, like always, and Rayquaza –

May took a deep breath before pushing herself off the legendary dragon's body, not yet standing but no longer leaning on its body. "Thank you," she said, as she'd said with all of her Pokemon. "I don't know why you chose me, but I'm grateful. Thanks to you, we were able to protect Hoenn – we were able to protect my home." She bowed from her sitting position, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Nova do the same.

Rayquaza, however, just made what she could only interpret as a chortle in response, eyeing his new PokeBall once May had sat back upright. She smiled widely, clicking the button in the center to return him, before putting his PokeBall into her bag where Deoxys' now was, as well.

"Nova," May said, and instantly her Blaziken was on her, hovering over her protectively. "Help me stand." He took her hand gently in his taloned ones, pulling her into a standing position. "Thank you."

She hugged him tightly, arms gripping with as much force as she could possibly muster at the time. Easily, he returned the hug, resting his beaked face on the top of his Trainer's head, letting her know everything was, finally, okay.

* * *

May leaned into Nova, surveying the Sky Pillar rooftop after she had taken a bit more time to calm herself. Being fully hydrated had definitely helped, but she was still more exhausted then she thought she had ever, ever been. None of her sleepless nights and terrible migraines could've prepared her for this.

The Whismur May recognized as Aster came out from the shadows, _whirring _at her softly. May smiled, and took a deep breath before slowly crossing the rooftop to see it.

"What is it?" She asked, leaning down despite the pain she felt. In its tiny hands it held a letter, which it pushed towards May. With care, she took it, but before she got a chance to look at it, Whismur took off for the stairs.

Sighing, May tore open the envelope, scanning the contents carefully.

_I was finally able to bring everything to an end. I thank you for that. I think I'll spend some time now trying to find out if it's also possible to forge a new beginning for something once lost. Until we meet again,_

_Zinnia_

Simple and straight to the point, May could easily read how lost Zinnia had been feeling when she wrote this. Her heart ached painfully for the Draconid woman – meeting her had made May very, very aware of what she could've turned out to be like, had she not moved to Hoenn and met her Pokemon. She had once been that brash, that rude and hard to talk to; and more dangerously, she had once been that angry with the world and everything in it. Had she been given a position such as Zinnia's, to protect a world that she felt had turned its back on her…

Well, May wasn't sure she would've acted much differently than her in the first place. Even if her plan had worked out in the end, she had went about it in all the wrong ways; destroying the only back up plan available, refusing to work with others… May was grateful she had learned at least some patience and understanding over the course of her journey.

She may still be crass, still be an easily irritated person and blunt, but she _listened _a bit better than she used to. May knew there was always room for improvement, of course, and this was just another reminder of that.

For some reason, her thoughts went to Steven as she held Zinnia's letter firmly in her hands. They had a lot to talk about – months of unshared feelings that had brewed between them. Their battle in the Pokemon League had helped May understand, somewhat, why he had stayed away from her following Kyogre, but she needed to hear it from him.

She wanted to be more open with him, she realized. She wanted to tell him straight up, exactly how she felt, no holds barred. And she wanted the same from him.

* * *

"The energy reading appears to be diffusing!" One of the assistants called from the front of the Space Center lab. Reading the charts quickly as they popped up onto the large monitor, she continued, tripping over her words to get the information out. "W-we can, can confirm that the meteoroid has been destroyed, sir!"

The scientist close to her was practically bouncing off the walls at the news. He leapt up from his work station, catching the attention of one of the Professors. "Professor!" He finally got out, after stuttering over himself. "The meteoroid! The meteoroid – it's –! Thank the powers above! It's –!"

"Calm yourself, man!" He said, but grinned widely right after, tears prickling the corners of his eyes. "Oh, who am I kidding! I'm so happy, I could kiss you!" He clapped, letting out a shaky laugh. We did it! We actually did it! Success is ours!" His laughter died out slowly, until there was no more laughter left in him. "Thank you, May," he said, tone much more seriously, knowing that it wasn't really _them _that had stopped the disaster, but her.

And likely her alone.

* * *

"I still owe you for your help at the Sky Pillar. Thank you for that," Steven said, his voice reverberating off the walls in the final room of the Pokemon League. His voice was heavy, mixed with various emotions – some of which Steven couldn't quite place himself.

Wallace just laughed, however, not giving Steven any time to reflect. "How unlike you to be so thoughtful," the water-type Trainer snarked back.

Smiling at his friend, Steven let out a chuckle of his own, though his was much more pensive. "You know," he said after a moment, bringing a hand up to his chin in a familiar manner, "This experience really brought it home for me again," he trailed off, and Wallace waited patiently for his friend to continue. After a long sigh, Steven did. "That there is still so much about this world that I do not know. I wonder what would have happened to Hoenn… if Mya had not been here to aid us with this, and the incident with the super-ancient Pokemon… I alone was powerless to stop either."

The guilt had been eating Steven alive. It wasn't that he didn't trust May to handle these situations on her own – quite the contrary. She had more than proven herself as a capable Trainer to him, long ago. It was that he wanted to be there for her. He had been the Champion of the Region when Kyogre had appeared and he had done nothing of use during the entirety of the incident.

There was also the added complication of how he felt about her, but… he wasn't quite ready to delve into that, yet. He wasn't sure if he would ever be ready.

"There is no one person in this world who knows all," Wallace's voice broke him out of his reverie. "None who can do all. Steven," his friend met his eyes, smiling sadly at him. "There is no cause for such worries of concern."

Another light chuckle from Steven – a self-deprecating one. Unfortunately, the kind words of his oldest friend did little to ease his guilt. "Don't worry," he told him instead. "It's not that I am so shocked by my own disappointing performance. But rather," he trailed off, stopping himself.

Wallace gave him a moment, but after he didn't continue, prompted him. "Rather what?"

He shook his head, clearing out his true thoughts. Steven was still not ready to talk about May in that manner – least of all with Wallace, who would see right through him in an instant. "I was just thinking how much more there is I must learn about nature, about Pokemon…" Steven continued with instead, jumping back to his thought train from earlier. "And about my fellow humans as well, if I am to keep living in this huge, wide world."

Wallace opened his mouth, but closed it again, realizing his friend wasn't finished collecting his thoughts out loud.

"I want to walk this world on my own two feet," Steven kept going, thinking back to his horribly sheltered upbringing. "To see it with my own eyes. To feel it on my very skin…" His thoughts had, unknowingly, shifted back to May as he kept speaking, but found he couldn't stop himself. "I need to put into practice all of the advice I ever gave to May. That's what I am thinking now."

Seeing May be free, knowing what little he did know about her family and her life before leaving home to follow her dreams… It had awoken something deep inside of him. His escape had always been caving, but how much of that, Steven wondered, had been to separate himself from the outside world? His father had never let him do what he wanted to do as a child, and in the back of his mind he knew that he would end up becoming the heir of Devon Corp at this rate, no matter how badly he wished to fight it.

May had broken free of expectations – part of his ridiculously complicated feelings for her were, undoubtedly, intertwined with his own desire for freedom, and Steven knew it well. Before he could face her fully, he understood now what he needed to do.

"Steven," Wallace cut through again to him, his tone growing harsh. "You can't intend to…"

Steven laughed aloud at that, starting to feel lighter than he had in many months. He would shed this guilt that was weighing him down, and he would become a man worthy of facing May once he sorted out how much of these feelings were real, and how much of these feelings were his misguided desire for freedom.

"But no need to fear," Steven said, an odd smile making its way onto his face as he spoke. "I won't just disappear at once. I'll still be around doing my duty on behalf of the Pokemon League. But, hm," he paused. "When the time does come for me to pursue my own hopes… well, I hope that you, Wallace, will be behind me to lend a hand."

It was rare for Steven to be so open with anyone, really – even Wallace, who he had known for far longer than most of the people he spoke to.

Wallace looked away from him, but Steven could see the grin on his face. "It seems I have little choice. I bow to the whims of the pampered heir," he said, rolling his eyes in jest. "I, Wallace, will do this thing you wish."

Light laughter broke free from Steven's throat, and he found himself already feeling better after this simple conversation. "Thank you, my friend," he trailed off, watching Wallace turn for the secret door to leave the last room of the Pokemon League, leaving Steven to be with his own thoughts once again.

* * *

Aster made a noise at Zinnia, who stared sadly at the flowing water of Meteor Falls. "Aster," she whispered, turning to look at her Pokemon. "It's over… it's all over." It hurt in a way she hadn't been expected.

Footsteps sounded lightly through the cave, and Zinnia turned again to face who she knew to be there – her grandmother.

"Zinnia, my child."

"Grannie…"

"You have worked so hard," her grandmother spoke softly, eyes warm and kind still, despite everything that had happened. "It is enough, child. Be done with your burden. Let it go now." Zinnia didn't want to hear this, and scrunched her eyes shut in protest, hoping that somehow it would make the words stop coming. "For everything there must be an ending," her grandmother continued, paying no attention to Zinnia's actions. "Only then… only then can there be a new beginning. That is the immutable truth that all living things on this planet, great and small, must accept. We Draconids have seen it in our history, as you have seen it in your own life. Now is the time for rest. Let down the great burden you have borne so long alone… so that you might at last take a step forward toward new life."

Zinnia fought back tears, the roof of her mouth burning as her grandmother sighed.

"Now is the time for rest," her grandmother repeated, her voice just as warm as her eyes. Her words were harsh, but they were not cruel. The truth was often harsh, Zinnia knew – she was the Lorekeeper, inheritor of the truth from generations and generations ago, after all.

Finally, she let the first tear fall, and it was like a dam broke then. The rest of them cascaded down her face in waves. "Yes," she finally gasped out, after a moment.

Through her tears, she walked down the stairs of the Falls, not turning around for Aster or to thank her grandmother for her kind, honest words. This was something she needed to sort out alone, for a while, first. And she had the time – after all, now was the time for rest.

* * *

It felt like such a stupid end to her day, to sit in the Space Center which she had been to multiple times over the last days with Brendan, to watch a meteoroid shower that could've killed them all. Not even including the fact that May had already seen the Litlenoids in all their glory, from the rooftop of the Sky Pillar, just the other night.

They sat, staring out through the window as the loudspeaker blared, _"Thank you for visiting the Mossdeep Space Center…" _May heaved a sigh, and tried her hardest to crack a smile as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She felt out of place there, for so many different reasons – one of which being Nova wasn't out next to her, there to calm her down.

It was amazing to her how quickly her Pokemon had become that important of a presence in her life. Two years ago, she watched the last of her classmates leave school to start their own journeys in Johto, jealousy filling her veins. Since then, May had always figured that by the time she'd get to go out on her own… she would no longer even be interested.

How glad she was to have been wrong.

"May," Brendan broke the silence, turning to look at his friend. "I'm really glad I met you."

Two years ago, had someone like Brendan told that to her, she would've ignored them, if not outright laughed in their face at the confession. Today, though, after the past few days that May had…

"Thanks, Brendan," she told him earnestly. It wasn't easy for her, to be honest like this, but the people around her deserved better from her. Hoenn as a whole deserved better from their new Champion. She thought back to Zinnia and almost nodded. She would be better.

"I can tell you have a lot on your mind," he continued, as they got up out of their chairs. May instinctively reached for Nova's PokeBall, but withdrew, knowing she couldn't release him yet when they were about to fly to Littleroot. "And I know you won't tell me. And that's okay! I just," Brendan sighed as they walked through the Space Center entrance. "I just want you to know I know you'll figure it out, okay?"

They were outside now, Mossdeep bustling with people who had all wanted to watch the Litlenoids as well. May reached for Tropius' PokeBall, but decided against it, realizing quickly she had some unfinished business to take care of in Mossdeep.

May flashed what used to be a rare, genuine smile at Brendan. "Thank you." And she meant it. "You fly home, okay? There's something I want to take care of while I'm out here."

Brendan's gaze moved from May to the houses in the background, knowing exactly what she meant. He tried to hide his dejected eyes, but she saw right through him. Maybe she should feel bad, but she couldn't bring herself to. It wasn't anyone's fault, but she knew she didn't return the feelings Brendan had been desperately trying to hide from her.

"I'm sorry," she spoke up again after he didn't say anything. Her fingers itched at her waist over Nova's PokeBall, wanting to badly to lean into him right now.

Truthfully, May thought Brendan wouldn't say anything, and just leave. She certainly wouldn't hold it against him – she knew she was about to head into an incredibly emotionally dangerous situation herself. But he surprised her, and after a minute, smiled at her brightly.

"It's okay, May," Brendan said, eyes looking anywhere but at her own. "Really. I know I seem all… upset, right now, but I just want you to be happy. You're my best friend, after all!"

Part of her didn't understand how she could ever be considered someone's best friend, especially Brendan. For so long, she had just pushed him away from her; being as rude to him as she could possibly be at times. It really wasn't until the incident at the Cave of Origin that she had decided not to be so mean to him, and started treating him more like an equal instead of someone she just wanted to get rid of.

She didn't understand, but she knew he was being genuine. So instead of worrying over it right now, she took a deep breath, and bowed.

"Thank you," she repeated. "I'll see you later."

He gave her a shaky laugh, taking out his Swellow's PokeBall. "See you later."

* * *

Standing in front of Steven's house, May was beginning to have second thoughts about this, especially without the support of her Pokemon. She had always gotten a bit nervous around him, but this was an entirely new experience.

Throughout her journey, throughout interacting with him, getting to know him, battling with him… Somewhere along the line, May had fallen in love. She didn't know everything about him, and if she were being honest with herself, she didn't know this version of him that well – but somehow, she felt she knew him more intimately than most could claim to, especially when she thought about her previous dreams.

It wasn't because he had given her so many important gifts throughout her journey. It wasn't because he was pretty, or because he was the heir to Devon Corp. None of those things, really, made any difference to May in the end.

It wasn't something May could put into words. It just… was. It was just the fact that she wanted to be with him, she wanted to listen to him talk and understand him and _debate _with him and battle him and –

It was a lot of things, May had come to realize.

So with a deep breath, she opened his door, knowing that if he was even there he wouldn't mind at all.

The house was dark, and there weren't any shoes by the front door. May sighed, calling out for him anyways. "Steven? Are you there?"

No answer. She fumbled around for a moment before finding the light switch and flicking it on. Even if he wasn't home, she needed a moment to sit; to figure out what she would even be doing, now, that her journey was more or less over. To figure out what she would be doing about Steven, if she wasn't going to be talking to him that night.

To her surprise, a letter and a PokeBall sat on the small table in the middle of his house. Holding her breath, she quietly, slowly, walked over to it, feeling out of place and out of sorts. She didn't even know if it was from him or for him, but something in her gut told her she should take a look at it. Maybe that was her anxiety talking, she wasn't sure, but when she reached the table, her suspicions had been proven correct.

On the envelope, her name was scrawled out carefully with a flourish.

She shuddered out a breath, picking it up carefully. It wasn't sealed, just folded closed, so she removed the letter with ease.

_Dear May,_

_I'm sorry, first and foremost, that I am a coward and am leaving you this letter instead of facing you directly. You deserve much better than that – than me. I know you will find this letter, because I know you are much braver than I have ever given you credit for, and will want to confront this head on like you always seem to do. This is not easy for me, if that brings you any comfort. So much of me wishes to face you and tell you how I feel, but there are so many things that I must sort out before I can do that with full confidence._

_I want to change that, though. I want to be someone who can face you properly; someone who is unafraid and no longer conflicted._

_I have something in mind, so I will be away in training for some time. I do not expect to return to my home anytime soon. Which brings me to a request. I want you to take the PokeBall that you should find on my desk. The Beldum inside is one of my favorite Pokemon, so I hope you'll treat it like one of your own._

_Trusting we will meet again, _

_Steven Stone_

_P.S. I had sent you another Beldum, rather a special one. Did it reach you safely? Of course, both are cool and sublimely strong. I trust they will teach you the joys of Steel-type Pokemon._

May cried as she read the letter, unabashedly, tears falling onto the paper without care. She didn't even know _why _she was crying so hard. It was so stupid, she thought. He wasn't saying they'd never speak again, or that he didn't care about her at all, or anything of the sort. In fact, the letter told her the complete opposite.

And yet, she wished he had been strong enough, like he mentioned in his letter. She didn't know what was stopping him – he didn't say – but remembering their Champion battle at Ever Grande City, May thought she had some idea.

Vaguely, as she cried at his kitchen table, she wondered if he had felt sheltered his entire life, too. He had grown up the heir of Devon Corp, after all. May certainly didn't expect that to be a pleasant childhood, especially after she had seen the two Stones in action together just the other day. He probably never left Hoenn, had probably become Champion to feel like he had some control over his life, some free will – much like she had left her new home on her first day in Hoenn, just to exercise something she wasn't at all used to.

Instead of Nova's, she pulled out a different PokeBall on her waistband, one containing the strangely colored Metagross she had been given as a Beldum at the very start of her journey. It had been a long time since she had thought about her Pokemon's origins; it was the third Pokemon in her party, after all. It had been given to her at her first Pokemon Center, the attendant just saying he had been instructed to give it to a newer-looking Trainer. May hadn't thought about it at the time, but now that she was…

"Of course," she hiccupped, laughing a little as she stroked her Metagross' cool head gently. "Your Original Trainer. It's Steven. Of course."

She sat and cried for a long time, holding onto her Metagross' arm.

* * *

**Notes**

Oh man, I almost can't believe this is almost done, haha. Next chapter will be up as usual on **June 16th**, so see you guys then! Thank you as always for reading!


	15. Chapter Thirteen - Two Years Later

**Notes**

Here it is, clocking in at over 10,000 words. The final full chapter of this story. I hope you all enjoy this resolution. This is a short author's note for me, but that's because I'm a mess of emotions, aha. The epilogue will have a much longer thank you, but as always: thank you to everyone who so much as gives this fic a try. If you've made it this far, thank you. Thank you so much. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Two Years Later**

Watching as Dewford Town came into view, Steven sighed deeply. When he had gotten on the boat, he had felt that he was finally ready to come back – to finally face May, properly – but now that he was face to face with the region he'd grown up in…

He tried to shake the feeling off. Nerves weren't something he was accustomed to, and Steven saw no reason he should be feeling nervous now. Wallace had told him, after all, that May had been doing quite well the past two years that he was gone.

He had also added that she hadn't been seeing anyone, but that was of no consequence to Steven. He might be in love with her, but above all that he wanted her to be happy. If during his leave of absence she had found someone who made her happier, then so be it.

… Is what he told himself, but he was actually quite relieved.

The past two years hadn't just been fun and games for him. He had traveled all over the place, participating in the Unova World Championships against many other Champions from other regions; heading into Kanto and Johto to study and understand more about the world he lived in… He even briefly visited Kalos, interested by the origin of Mega Evolution and the Legendary Pokemon known as Diancie that was native to the region.

All of Steven's travels had left him quite alone, most of the time, only his Pokemon and his thoughts for company. He had come to the conclusion that he was in love with May truly rather quickly, but needed extra time to figure out how to be someone capable of being in a relationship. There was so many things that he had messed up, throughout the time he knew May, and so many things about people and the world he didn't understand yet.

Finally, after two years, he felt that he was at a point where he could be with someone, in the way that being in a relationship required. Steven wasn't sure if he would be what May wanted, but that was alright with him. What was important to him was that he didn't rush into it, and didn't force himself into a relationship with her while he was still racked with guilt over what had happened in Hoenn.

The boat he was on pulled into the harbor, and he thanked the captain as he stepped onto dry land for the first time in days. Almost instantly, he pulled out Skarmory's PokeBall, not wanting to waste any time.

He had a list of stops prepared, after all.

* * *

Steven thanked Skarmory as he returned him inside his PokeBall, taking a deep breath as he looked at the outside of the Devon Corp building.

This was arguably the hardest stop on his list, even factoring in the other things he had planned, which was why he decided to get it over with first. Steven was fully expecting this to go the worst possible route, and he was prepared for the aftermath of such.

He didn't say anything as he walked in through the doors, didn't stop to say hi to the concierge that was working or any of the people that he recognized in the lobby. He went straight to the elevator, told the woman to send him up to his father, and put on the most determined face he could.

When he arrived at his father's office, his father smiled at him thinly. The concierge must've called him, Steven thought, but didn't let that throw him off.

"Steven, my boy," his father greeted amicably, "it's great to see you after so long. How were your travels?"

"Very compelling," Steven answered honestly. "It's because of what I learned on my travels that I've decided to see you today."

"Oh?" Instantly, his father's face shifted. Steven knew that _he _knew what was coming. "And what have you learned?"

During his boat ride, even during the flight over to Rustboro from Dewford, Steven had ran through a million possible ways to talk to his father. From rushing straight into it, from taking his time, to even just leaving him with a letter. Nothing seemed to fit quite right in his head, and while Steven didn't like rushing into a situation without having thought it all the way through, he knew it was more important to try, in this instance.

Traveling really had taught him a lot, he thought to himself. He was grateful.

"I've learned, father," Steven started, meeting his father's eyes carefully before continuing. "I've learned that I wish to be taken off of the list of heirs to Devon. I do not want to lead this company, I do not wish to be involved at all with this company, and I've come here fully prepared to accept the consequences of such."

There was a long, stretching silence after Steven finished speaking. His father just stared at him, not moving; only the sounds of their breathing filling the room.

This was something Steven had thought long and hard about while he had been abroad. After the Rayquaza incident, and seeing May's shock and horror at the mere idea of Infinity Energy… He had always had his doubts, sure, but he wasn't sure what he could do back then. He was a Stone, the only heir, after all – his family had started Devon Corp and would likely run Devon Corp until the end of time. He had never felt like he had any other options.

It took him awhile to decide on what to do, on what course to follow. In the end, however, Steven realized he didn't need his father's support. He was twenty seven, at this point. He didn't live lavishly, or anything of the sort, and he had plenty of his own money in savings. He had been Champion for quite a long while, and it wasn't as if it had paid poorly.

Finally, his father heaved out a long, hard sigh, snapping Steven out of his thoughts. "You've already made up your mind, I see," he said, not moving his gaze.

"Yes." His voice was firm, eyes narrowed. It felt good to be this honest.

"I won't leave anything to you, you know. This puts both of us in a very… unfortunate situation," his father tried to reason, but Steven shook his head.

"Your situation at the company no longer concerns me, father." His voice was sharp, but he meant every word. This wasn't coming from a place of malice.

He was so used to being pampered, to being sheltered and treated differently because of who his family was. When he became Champion, he did so because it was one of the only ways he could prove that _he _was worth something, not just his family name, but that ended up backfiring spectacularly when May came along.

When he went overseas, he didn't tell anyone who he was, never using his last name if he could help it. The only times he was treated differently were when people recognized him on their own, and he found he quite liked being _nobody_; being able to prove himself and be who he wanted without any repercussions whatsoever.

Part of him, however, was scared to lose his father, despite the fact that they didn't have the best relationship. His father was, after all, his only living family. His mother had died so long ago, and neither had any siblings. The idea of having no one was a bit frightening, and though he'd become accustomed to it over the last two years, it wasn't as though he liked it.

But that didn't matter. He was stronger, now, and able to forge his own paths despite the difficulties he may face.

"Leave, then," his father said finally, waving him out and turning back to his desk and paperwork. "I have much to think about without you."

It was better than what Steven had been expecting, if he were to be honest with himself, and he left without another word. He didn't need his father to agree, or approve – in the end, this was a decision for himself, made by himself. And really, he had expected a bit more backlash. Maybe his father had seen it coming.

As he walked out the door of the Devon Corp building, though, he smiled to himself. He could do this.

* * *

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me," Steven told his companion as he settled himself in his seat. He didn't love the Mauville cafeteria, by any stretch of the imagination, but it wasn't a far flight and it had been requested, so he did his best to suck it up.

Brendan narrowed his eyes at him from across the table, looking far more comfortable than Steven did. "Have you told May you're back?" He asked, forgoing a greeting completely.

Steven shook his head, unperturbed. "I wanted to get a few things out of the way first, so she can have my complete and undivided attention."

The younger man bristled at his words. "I see." Steven didn't know Brendan very well, had only seen him a handful of times, but this was probably the iciest he had ever seen him. "What did you want to talk about, then?"

Nodding, Steven cut right to the chase, holding Brendan's stare. "I plan to confess to May today, and I know the two of you are," he paused, "close. I wanted you to be aware in case…"

"In case what?"

Steven sighed. "In case things go south. Even if I am the one being rejected, as you know, May will still likely be upset. I wanted her to have someone to go to if she needs it."

Brendan seemed taken aback by his answer, and his narrowed eyes became a full on glare. "Are you serious!?" His voice rose along with his body, attracting the attention of a few other customers. "May has handled herself _just fine_ over the two years you've been gone, and she did so before and she will continue to do so afterwards! She doesn't need a _babysitter_ –"

Steven put his hands up in the universal _calm down_ position, cutting Brendan off before he got too carried away. "That's not what I meant," he cut him off with haste, growing frustrated. "She is more than capable of looking after herself – she looks after the entirety of Hoenn, after all," he tried again, watching carefully as Brendan put himself back down in his chair. "I just know she had trouble talking about... personal things, before, and wanted to make sure you were aware of the situation _should she need to talk_."

He made sure to emphasize the last part, trying to convey his feelings more properly, this time. For all the good his enormous vocabulary did him, he still had trouble getting his feelings across, it seemed. Not even two years of self-reflection could help with that.

Brendan mulled over his words, moving around his drink with one hand as he thought. Finally, after a tense few moments, he let out a harsh puff of air. "Fine," Brendan relented. "I get it. Am I the last on your list?" He sneered at the older man. "Or do you need to put off talking to May for longer?"

Like with his father, Steven wasn't surprised by the amount of resistance he was getting. From what Wallace had told him, May had went to his house only hours after he had penned that letter for her, and had stayed in a funk for weeks afterwards. It was, truthfully, a cowardly move on his part to not even be able to face her and tell her his thoughts in person. He had known it then and he knew it now.

However, Steven also knew that had he tried to speak to her in person, he would've been too weak. Had she confessed to him, and asked him to work things out in Hoenn, he would've, and he wouldn't have been able to come to the understanding of himself that he had now.

"No, unfortunately, I have one more stop to make before I see her," Steven said after a minute. "Thank you again for meeting with me on such short notice." He lightly bowed as he stood, and Brendan seemed surprised at the gesture.

"Yeah, well," Brendan heaved a sigh. "Don't fuck up this time."

Steven smiled thinly. "I'll try not to."

* * *

His father may have been the hardest for him personally, but Steven was honestly most nervous about the stop he was about to make. He thanked the greeter at the door, and was shown the way through the Gym with baited breath.

"Mr. Stone," Normal Maple greeted him tersely. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Steven lightly chuckled, doing his best to hide his nerves from the Normal-type Gym Leader. "Please, Mr. Maple, I'm no longer your boss."

Norman narrowed his eyes as he remembered who, exactly, his boss had been for the last two years, and Steven held back a wince. _Already off to a bad start_, he thought to himself. Norman didn't say anything to that, instead staring at Steven impassively, waiting for him to begin. Steven cleared his throat, and tried to get back on track.

"Yes, well," he awkwardly began, before sighing and trying again. "I'll just be blunt with you, if you wouldn't mind. I'm in love with your daughter."

It was hard for Steven to process the amount of emotions that flickered on Norman's face, one after another in quick succession. He finally arrived on _miffed_, and his face contorted with the feeling.

"You asked for a meeting with me to tell me that?" His tone wasn't heavy, but Steven could tell the underlying anger and irritation he was holding back. It was amazing – from what Steven had heard from Wallace, he had zero respect for his current boss, his own _daughter_, and yet he managed to keep respect for his former boss. At that thought, Steven felt his own irritation flaring up.

"No, that wasn't all," Steven said, trying to control the harsh tone of his own voice. "I came here to tell you that because I was raised to be polite. The real reason for my visit is of much deeper consequence." He breathed in, then out, before continuing. "I would like you to step down as Gym Leader and give the position to someone who can do their job."

That wasn't, at all, the real reason Steven had come to speak with Norman, and the moment the words were out of his mouth he knew May would be livid. He really _had _come there just to tell him that he was hopefully going to marry May in the future, should she return his feelings, and had wanted to let him know as a courtesy. His father had raised him that way, and corrupt as he might be, Steven understood and appreciated certain things he had learned growing up.

The blatant disrespect he knew Norman had been showing May, however, had him instantly aggravated, and now that he had said it, he couldn't take it back. Hopefully May would forgive him for this, he thought.

"You _what_," Norman said, aghast, losing all pretense of respect for Steven as he snarled out the word.

"I have come to ask you to either step down as Petalburg Gym Leader," Steven repeated calmly, "or start doing your job properly and _listening to the Champion_. Currently, you are not fit to be Gym Leader if you cannot respect one who is above you. If you can't learn after two years that _your daughter _is rightfully on the Champion's seat, then it would indeed be best if you step down from your role."

His words were spoken calmly and rationally, but Steven knew Norman could tell how irritated he was. He wasn't trying very hard to hide it, truthfully. Over the course of the last two years, Steven had tried to get better at speaking his mind; at being open with his emotions. All this lead to, really, was him finding out that he had a bit of unresolved anger towards his father and his upbringing.

He probably should've thought this meeting through a bit earlier, but he was already in deep. There was no stopping now.

"You are not my boss anymore," Norman ground out, and Steven nearly wanted to smile.

"Yes, that is indeed the problem," he said, voice careful. "If I were your boss and you had been treating me the way you have been treating May, you would've been fired long ago. Please do think about what I've said."

He rose from his seat on the tatami matt without another word, not bothering to try and speak to the Gym Leader about this anymore. He had said far more than he meant too, anyway; it was probably best for Steven to leave before he opened his mouth again.

Norman was silent until Steven was almost completely out the door. However, he opened his mouth at the last second, finally breaking his silence. "I do not approve," was all he said, but the corners of Steven's lips rose.

"I don't think either of us needs you to," Steven said in response, turning back around and continuing to walk out of the Gym, not looking back again.

* * *

Before that day, Steven had thought long and hard about what he would say to May. An apology was definitely in order – and had now been rectified to include what had happened with her father – as well as a genuine, heartfelt confession about his feelings for her. But as soon as he entered Ever Grande City, prepared to go through the secret route into the Champion's room, all the words he had thought to say instantly left him.

Being back in Hoenn was making him feel things that he hadn't expected. A sense of guilt had come back with a vengeance, though this time it was for leaving, not for what had happened two years ago. His talk with his father had also been wearing on him, making the undealt with irritation and confusion from his childhood bubble up. He had wanted to go into his talk with May with a clear mind, but it was very doubtful at this point that was going to happen.

Instead, he sighed, taking a deep breath, before making his way through the entrance.

Truthfully, Steven wasn't even sure if May would be there. From what he'd heard from Wallace, she hadn't gotten a challenger in over a year, breaking his streak by a mile. She'd been quite bored, recently, or so Wallace said, and often spent time out and about in Hoenn instead of cooped up in the Champion's room.

With his luck, he would've hyped himself all up to see her in person, only to have to call her and go looking for her around the region if she didn't answer.

He finally reached the door, and he braced himself before opening it.

* * *

May's concentration on the game she was playing on her PokeNav+ was broken at the sound of the door to her room opening, and she quickly shoved the PokeNav+ into her pocket in an attempt to look professional. She wasn't sure why the alarm hadn't sounded when whoever it was had beaten the Elite Four as it was supposed to, but she wasn't surprised. Everything in this place broke, she'd noticed over the last two years. The most surprised she felt was at the fact that she actually had something to _do _today. She'd been tired that morning, and thought it was good to pretend she had a presence in Ever Grande. Just her luck she'd actually get a challenger the one day she decided to stay in.

She got up from her chair, ready to start reciting her speech, when she met a very familiar pair of silver eyes.

"Hi, May," Steven said, sounding just as nervous as he looked. "I'm back." Nova stood from behind her chair, watching with interested eyes, and Steven nodded at the Pokemon.

For a long, long moment, May just stared at him in disbelief. She hadn't seen nor heard anything from him since that fateful day she'd found his letter – and his Beldum – at his house two years prior. Wallace was steadfast in his refusal to tell her anything about where he was or how he was doing, and May had quickly given up asking after the first few months. She had accepted, more or less, that she might never see him again after the first year came and went. Maybe he'd moved on, maybe he'd found somewhere he wanted to be more than Hoenn – May didn't know, and she had attempted to convince herself that she no longer cared one way or the other.

That couldn't have been farther from the truth.

Try as she might, despite the two year gap in seeing each other, her feelings for Steven remained just as strong as the day she went to confront him. May was still madly in love with the former Hoenn League Champion, and there was nothing she could do about it.

However, she was also very, very mad.

"What the hell," she whispered, her brow furrowed. "What the _hell_," she repeated with more force, "are you doing here?"

If Steven was taken aback by her hostility, he didn't show it, standing his ground perfectly as he always did with her. That sight alone made her want to weep. "I came to see you. I'm back. I'm—"

"Not even a phone call? You couldn't have even let me know you were planning on coming back?" Her voice continued to rise until she was shouting at him, words reverberating off the empty walls of the Champion's room. "It was one thing to leave with just _a letter_, but you couldn't have even sent a fucking postcard to let me know you were _alive_?"

This time, Steven did wince. "Well, I am—"

"How dare you!" May cut him off again, refusing to let him get a word in edge wise. "How dare you leave without a word like that, and have Wallace sworn to secrecy on how you were doing! I wouldn't have come after you – I have more self-respect than _that_," she spat at him, fingers curled tightly into the palms of her hands. "How dare you," she seethed, but the more she spoke the less fire she had in her to keep yelling at him.

He was there, in front of her now, and that mattered much more to her heart than how she'd been wronged.

Without thinking, she flung herself at him, pulling herself into him closely. "How dare you," she repeated, this time muffled into his chest.

For a minute, Steven didn't respond to her hug, likely shocked from the change of pace. Finally, though, he pushed her into him even more, one arm holding her head as he breathed in deeply. The other wrapped itself firmly around her waist, and May almost wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I'm so sorry. You deserved better than what I gave you. I won't," he took a deep breath, trying to memorize how this felt. "I won't do that to you again."

Neither of them spoke for a long few minutes, just holding each other tightly. All the anger May had felt upon first seeing him had completely fizzled out, leaving just the yearning she had been feeling all these years. They had so much to talk about, she knew – she had so much she needed to tell him, and he had a lot of apologies and stories of his own to work through, but for now…

For now, this was enough.

* * *

"I'd like you to go, now," May finally said as she stepped back from him, struggling to keep her words together. If Steven was hurt by her words, he didn't show it.

"I understand," was what he told her instead, and she nodded. Despite how mean she could be, how brash and rude – he was always like that, with her. It made her feel…

Well, there were a lot of things it made her feel. It was almost too much, right now. He left two years ago without – without anything, really, and after everything that she had been through, everything that had happened…

It would take more than just a hug, she realized after she had stopped being angry. It would take many conversations, and a lot of time, to accept that he was just back, just like that. His leaving had hurt her, but what had hurt May the most was the absolute no contact. She would've understood if he needed to get out of Hoenn, after everything, but what she couldn't understand was how he could just disappear without a trace.

Even more so than her feelings for him, they were_ friends_. Friends were supposed to tell each other things, not leave one another hanging in limbo for two whole years.

Steven, though, seemed to understand she needed time. As soon as he told her as such, he started towards the door; not lingering, not trying to make her feel guilty. He didn't say anything to May as he left, and she didn't say anything to him as he went.

May trusted his word, that he wouldn't do that to her again, despite everything. When she was ready, she would reach out for him.

First, though, she turned to Nova, who had patiently waiting by her chair through their short lived reunion. Instantly, her starter Pokemon was on her, holding her close in a familiar warm hug.

Yes, May thought to herself. First, she needed some time to rethink everything she had thought she'd decided about her feelings for one Steven Stone.

Through the time that he had been gone, May had went through many, _many_ different feelings – anger, grief, loneliness, more anger… She had finally arrived at the conclusion that maybe she wasn't in love with him, so much, as she was in love with the idea of someone who had went through everything with her. Part of it, she knew, was that he had never minded who she was or how she acted when it came to him. Her rudeness never rubbed him the wrong way, and he took her brash nature in stride every time. She had thought that was all there was too it, despite having felt so strongly otherwise before.

He had been gone for so long, after all, she had reasoned with herself. May had started to believe she had made it all up – the connection she had felt with him, starting all the way back in Dewford Cave. All those dreams. Maybe they hadn't meant a thing, really.

It was apparent to May now, however, that it was just lies she had tried to convince herself of to get out of the heartache she had felt for those two years. For as soon as she had thrown her arms around him, the scent of _him_, the feel of _him, _everything came flooding back into her memory, as if it were finally awakened after a two year slumber.

May gulped as she held her starter Pokemon closely, eyes still watery. She was still very, very much in love with Steven Stone.

And she wasn't quite sure how to feel about that.

* * *

Steven didn't really know where to go after he left May's chamber without another word. He understood – he did, truly – why she didn't want him there yet. She was so mad, still, rightfully so; and more than that, she was hurt and confused. He had known this going into the meeting, but it still made the guilt rise up in the back of his throat all the same.

Two years. He had left her, willingly not letting her hear a _thing_ from him, for two full years. Steven was someone she had trusted, and someone who had went through all those traumas at her side. How he had expected her to bounce back was beyond him.

May was strong, yes, but he had seen first-hand how Kyogre had broken her. How that fear haunted her in her daily life. He had seen it in the weeks where he stayed away, before she challenged him; had seen it during their intense battle for the Champion title.

Steven huffed a sigh, standing in the flower beds of Ever Grande. He didn't care to see Wallace, yet, who would no doubt hound him about going back and groveling to May. Part of him wondered if he had went in there and begged, would it have yielded different results? As it was now, he wasn't sure they would ever recover.

And it was his fault, he knew. Sighing again, Steven took a seat on the ground, willing himself to study the flowers instead of trying to think at the moment. It wouldn't get him anywhere to mope.

_Two years was not nearly long enough_, he thought to himself as he stared into the red flowers surrounding him, _if I still can't figure out how to be decent to her_.

* * *

A week passed, then two, then a month; and still, May had not contacted Steven. He refused to breach her privacy by asking Wallace, but he was starting to get worried.

He hadn't expected it to ever be _easy_, so to speak, but part of him had expected that when he returned, the two of them would have… something. Anything, really – Steven had never been in a formal relationship, had never cared enough to pursue someone romantically, but he had always assumed that with May he would.

And yet, here he sat in his small house in Mossdeep, having heard nothing from her since his return.

He was beginning to wonder how deeply he had really fucked up.

There was not a single part of him that regretted his leave – it had helped him more than he thought, being away from the pressures Hoenn presented to him, being away from _everything_; but Steven wondered now if there could've been a better way to go about it. At the time, he hadn't – and still didn't – believed he could face May to tell her to her face that he was going off to another region and didn't want to be contacted, but he supposed he could've done more than just left a letter and a PokeBall. Done more than had Wallace swear not to tell her a single detail about where he was, how he was doing.

He had been in a panic, when he made Wallace agree to that, and now he realized that it was far more selfish than May had deserved. Truthfully, Steven had figured that out long before he came back home, but seeing her like that, that day…

The fury had been tangible in the air, yet it had melted away as soon as she crashed into him. May was always strong, far stronger than he had ever been or given her credit for, but…

He had been her most trusted confidant. He had been there every step of every traumatic thing she had went through. Originally, Steven had assumed his presence would not only cause the guilt to eat _him_ alive, but also destroy May, but now…

He sighed again, turning over a Dawn Stone he had found at Victory Road the other day. Somehow, he always managed to mess things up when May was involved.

* * *

"Are you ever going to call him?" Brendan's question snapped May out of her reverie, and she turned to him with a glare.

They were out for lunch at New Mauville's food court, a demand from Brendan that morning since they hadn't seen each other in a while. Partly because he had been busy with Lisia, and partly because May had been avoiding everyone for a few weeks, now.

Since Steven's return.

She hadn't wanted to see anyone after that, and that train of thought continued on throughout the week, until one week became two, and two weeks had become an entire month of flaking on people and leaving messages unanswered on her PokeNav+.

"Yes," she finally responded, aggravation filling her tone. "Of course I will."

If she were being honest with herself, May wasn't exactly sure if that was true. She knew where her heart stood on Steven, but where did her head stand? That's what she was still trying to figure out, a month later.

Brendan gave her a look, and her eyes narrowed even further. He had showed up at Ever Grande that morning, before she even had a chance to flee to the Champion's room, demanding that she meet him for lunch since he hadn't so much as heard from her in the past month. Reluctantly, she had agreed, but now she was starting to regret it.

"May," he said, attempting to placate her, "it's okay if you're not ready, but you shouldn't shut us all out."

"Shut up." It didn't come out nearly as menacing as she was hoping for. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

"When _will _you want to talk about it?" Brendan pushed. "It's been a month, and you went totally dark – that's not like you."

"What do you know," May hissed, anger bubbling to the surface. "Why do you even care how I deal with this, how I deal with _him_? You've never liked him anyways."

Dangerous territory. This was getting into dangerous, angry territory, and May wasn't sure she would be able to hold herself back, soon.

Over the years, since she started her journey, she'd gotten better, sure. But the fact of the matter was still that anger, even after Kyogre, was still her most familiar feeling. It was still what she fell back on to face her problems. After Kyogre it was anger and desperation, sure, but the fire that burned inside her stomach was still present.

Steven was no different – she wanted to face this with nothing but fire in her veins still. It was why she hadn't contacted him, why she hadn't contacted _anyone_; for fear that if she did, she would make things irrevocably worse. She needed to calm down, first. A month hadn't been long enough for that.

After Steven had left that day, she had spent the rest of the day training as hard as she could, pushing her Pokemon to their absolute limit. She didn't want to pretend everything was just… _fine_, now that he was back. That she hadn't been left in a whirlwind of her own emotions when he had left, that she hadn't been _hurt_.

"It doesn't matter how _I _feel about him," Brendan countered, "it only matters how _you_ feel."

"And how do I feel?" Her voice was quiet, and Brendan recognized that tone instantly, wincing before she began to go off. "You don't know _shit _about how I feel, you aren't me. You weren't even there!"

Other customers looked their way, recognizing May in an instant, but she didn't have it in her to care. Long before she had become Champion she was known for her refusal to talk to the news about Kyogre and how rude she had been about it. Maybe she had calmed down some, but her outbursts were legendary and had completely and utterly ruined her reputation as Hoenn's Hero anyways. It didn't matter to her.

"I can take as much damn time as I please," she continued. "I can leave him in the dark for two fucking years if that's what it takes!" She didn't even register that the entire food court had gone silent as she barred her teeth at Brendan like a wounded Pokemon. It had been awhile since she had gotten to this point, gotten this angry.

She hated how good it felt.

Nova stood behind her, and she could feel her starter Pokemon's stare drilling a hole into her head, willing her to stop. But she wouldn't – couldn't. She had been holding this in for so long, this burning rage inside of her, and she wasn't ready to let go of it yet.

"He left a _letter_, Brendan," she said, and despite her thoughts her rage was already starting to fizzle out of her. It was like her voice breaking on one word was enough to remind her of deep her hurt went, how upset she really was. "A stupid _letter_. After _everything_, and shows up two years later after absolutely nothing and expects this to go _okay_. How is that fair? Shaking her head, she pretended that there weren't tears leaking from the corner of her eyes as she slumped back into her chair, totally defeated. "And yet you're telling me to go _talk _to him? I can't even look at him."

"May…"

"I don't want to hear it." She forced herself up out of her chair once again, the screeching sound reverberating painfully off the cafeteria walls.

Not even bothering with parting words of any kind, she walked out with Nova in tow, ignoring the stares of the other patrons.

Two years ago, maybe she would've been mortified. Maybe she would've begged – even paid – news companies to keep her outburst under wraps, not wanting to ruin the delicate peace that had taken over Hoenn after not one, but two disasters. Without Steven, she hadn't the slightest clue how to go about dealing with the media back then. Now, though, she didn't even care. After her first public breakdown – thanks to some ill-worded praise about the Kyogre incident – May had realized it didn't matter at all what Hoenn thought of her.

It didn't matter, because everyone knew she would lay her life down to save them again and again, if needed.

Nobody got away from something like that unscathed.

* * *

Looking at the door, May wasn't even sure why she was there.

She wasn't ready to talk to Steven, not really. Especially not after her latest freak-out ended up all over Hoenn News Network. But yet, still she stood outside his door, debating internally whether or not to go inside.

There was so much left unsaid between them, so much anger that she felt still. Part of her wanted to talk to him, though – to work it out, to move past all this. She just wasn't quite sure how.

She was ready to turn around and get right back on her Tropius to leave when the door opened right in front of her.

For a minute, neither Steven nor May said anything, just staring at each other as if they couldn't believe the other was real. Nova stayed quiet from behind May, stepping off to the side to give the two their privacy.

"Would you like to come in," Steven asked, voice already hoarse.

Pushing down a nervous gulp, May agreed, stepping into the small home that she hadn't seen in a long, long time.

* * *

Neither of them sat.

Steven moved to the other end of the table, reminiscent of when he had brought her here before she took off after Team Aqua. May said nothing, stone faced. She hadn't been expecting to get caught outside, especially right after she had decided to leave. She hadn't been expecting to get invited in to talk, of all things, but she supposed here was probably better than the Champion's room, where her Elite Four were a bunch of nosy gossips.

Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Steven let out a breath. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes snapped to his, but she still didn't say anything. They both knew that sorry wasn't enough, and part of May was desperately hoping that he had more than that to offer.

"Will you give me a chance to explain myself?"

That was the question of the year. May wasn't sure if she _should_, despite wishing there was something else that he had to say, something other than just meaningless apologies.

Slowly, she nodded, and Steven exhaled deeply in relief.

"It was supposed to be my job," he started with, pushing a hand through his hair. "I was the Champion at the time, and yet when push came to shove, _you_ were the one dealing with Team Aqua. You, more or less a child at the time," he paused, waiting for her reaction. Nothing came yet, so he continued. "And not only were you dealing with them, better than I could've ever done, you were the one with the Orb. You were the one determined to go face Kyogre, by yourself."

This was the part she already knew – she had determined from their Champion battle that fateful day. Despite wanting him to hurry up, to get to the part that made her _ache, _she waited, exercising that patience she had learned throughout her journey. Learned largely because of the man in front of her.

"After that battle, I was completely wracked with guilt. Nothing could make up for the fact that you had almost died – that your _Pokemon _had almost died – because of my choices, because of my failure. I couldn't bring myself to speak to you, no matter how much I knew you wanted to. No matter how much I wanted to." His eyes were downcast as he spoke, his voice more raw then she had been expecting. "And then you beat me."

Finally, he dragged his eyes up to meet hers again, and May was surprised to see him smiling at the words. She had always thought, even if he hadn't ever been _upset_ at the prospect of losing, there still might be a little bit of bitterness there. How could there not be, May had reasoned, with the fact that it was no ordinary Trainer battle in question – it was a_ Champion _battle.

But there was nothing of the sort there on his face. Just a small, simple smile; May didn't think she'd ever seen his eyes shine so brightly. At least, not that she could remember anymore. She soaked it in, committing it to memory.

"After our battle, I understood you more," he continued after a beat, and May found herself nodding in agreement. "I thought that while maybe it would be... Tricky, for me, I could stay and help you. Leave on good terms when you were ready to take on everything by yourself, and we could've had a very different reunion. But the next day – the _very _next day…"

"Zinnia," May interjected.

"Zinnia, yes."

"So what changed, then?" May asked. "Why did it matter that I could go through one _experience_," she tripped over the word, "but the second one was too much? I don't understand."

Steven winced. "It was one thing to fail you once," he said. "It was another thing to fail you again, and in a much worse way. Not only was I essentially useless during the entire tirade, but I didn't _listen_ to you. I was so caught up in my own issues with my father, with protecting you that time around, that I didn't even realize when you had already come up with another plan. With something better, that protected far more people – but at the cost of yourself. And that I could do absolutely nothing to help you or stop you, because I hadn't made myself trustworthy enough."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Steven not wanting to overload May with information and May not wanting to interrupt again, for the time being. It was hard – much harder than either of them had thought, to do this.

"I realized there was so much for me to learn," he spoke again after a few more moments passed. "There was so much of the world I hadn't seen, so many different viewpoints I didn't understand yet. My close mindedness, something I had never realized was even a problem, was shoved directly into my face that day. My issues with my father were suddenly put into the forefront, and even despite all that, there was the issue of you.

"I had fallen in love with you, miraculously, despite everything," Steven told her, and though she had almost been expecting it, her throat felt tight and her blood felt warm in her veins. "And yet, I couldn't even do so much as to listen to you properly. I couldn't do so much as to help you at all, not in the way that you needed."

It took her a moment, after that confession, before she narrowed her eyes. "So then, what?" She snapped, forcing the fizzle in her heart to settle. "You just left? No contact, not a single word?"

"I left you a letter," he said meekly, but his eyes told her all she needed to know. He was ashamed. He'd known he had fucked up.

She wanted to be mad – be as mad as she had been at the cafe with Brendan, but she had nothing left in her. It had all faded right out as he spoke, as he finally told her the _whys_ of what had happened on his end.

"Truthfully," Steven said after she didn't say anything back, "I think I've been in love with you since Granite Cave." Her eyes snapped back to his, and he nodded at her. "This is going to sound crazy, but," he paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I'd dreamt of you before."

Time seemed to freeze in that moment, as she repeated what he said in her head. "You too?" May breathed out, before thinking about the ramifications of saying such a thing. "You, too?"

It had been a long time since she'd had the dreams; could barely remember what they were like at this point, despite how they plagued her life for so long. She could remember, though – remember how Steven looked in those dreams. Remember the heat of his hand through the cold, never ending rain that she now knew was caused from Kyogre.

Since the incident two years ago, May had wondered if she had truly been going crazy or not. They didn't end up sending that meteor to a different, undisclosed location, but would it really have hurt a different Hoenn? Was that other Hoenn really what she had been dreaming about, all those years?

She wasn't sure, now that everything had settled into the dust and she was left to figure it out on her own. She hadn't been sure since, but hearing Steven say those words…

May sucked in a deep breath, looking at him hopefully. "I dreamt about you for so long," she confessed, not holding anything back anymore. "I saw so many different things, different parts of Hoenn – I thought I was insane. But you…"

Steven nodded, any embarrassment he had felt at his original statement fading with each word she spoke. "Yeah," he said, voice thick with something she couldn't place. "Me, too."

* * *

They were silent for a long time after that realization – that both of them had known each other almost too intimately before they _really_ knew each other. Not wanting to break the silence, May gulped down any words she wanted to say for the time being, knowing that she would have the chance at some point soon.

Even though some of what Steven had told her were things she was already aware of, it was all eye opening, in a way. For the past two years, she had spent so much time unsure, not knowing where to even begin with their relationship that she had all but given up by the time he had shown back up, out of the blue. Convinced as she was that it had been the right way to go about it, May knew she now had a choice to make.

Now that everything from his end was on the table – now that she knew that he was in love with her, too – she knew she only had two options.

On the one hand, she could stay. Talk things out, give her side, and come to an actual, full understanding between them, likely ending with the two of them in a relationship.

On the other, she could leave right now. She would be giving him up, but they could leave on amicable terms. They could be friends, and put all this behind them; something she had thought about often over the last two years. She could let herself not think about him so much, heal from the pain of Steven cutting her out of his life for two years with no contact, and maybe find someone else. There were plenty of fish in the sea, as they said.

May knew, though. She knew she really only had one option, try as she might.

"I'm not good at this," she told him honestly, searching his blue eyes for something she wasn't sure of. "In fact, I'm kind of terrible at it. And I need time. And a lot more talking." She looked away from him again, almost scared.

The hopeful look Steven was giving her was almost too much to bear. She wasn't sure if this was the right choice – throughout her journey, she had made plenty of bad choices, but she always stuck to her gut.

"I love you, even though you've been a jerk," May said, breathing out the words slowly. "I don't want to get your hopes up. I don't want to promise you and then run away. But," she paused, finding his eyes again, "I want to try."

It was probably the most honest she'd ever been with him. With another human being in general, really. It felt… good, May thought, to let herself open up like this. It was hard – terribly so – but it was necessary in that moment. She was tired of hiding herself from Steven; tired of all the confusion and not knowing when it came to him. If he was taking the initiative to be brutally honest with her, she could at least do the same for him.

There was a lot of hurt to go through, still. A lot of confusion and broken trust to work out. If he didn't mind waiting, though, and didn't mind trying to mend things properly…

Well, May could try, too. It wasn't about deserving it anymore, she realized. It wasn't about how he hurt her so she should hurt him back, and it wasn't about _how _he hurt her, either. When she had broken down with Brendan, she had been full of anger, but the more they talked, the more it fizzled out of her.

After everything, she still trusted Steven with herself more than anyone else, it seemed.

And if she cried into his shoulder as he held her, well, that was yet another secret he would keep about her.

* * *

"So… that's it?" Brendan questioned her, waving a fry at her accusingly. "You got all mad at me and ended up on the news again just to forgive him?"

She scowled, biting into her own fries with more force than necessary. May had invited him back to the cafeteria to apologize – and clue him in on the change in her relationship status – and she was beginning to regret it, just like last time. "Don't be a dick," she said, rolling her eyes. "I said sorry."

"I'm happy for you, actually," Brendan continued after chewing some, smiling at his friend. "I mean, I still think he's a prick, but if he makes you happy, that's good."

"I don't know how Lisia deals with you." To anyone else, the words would've sounding bitter and angry, but she knew that Brendan knew her better than that.

He shrugged, a small smile on his face. "It's because I'm so great," he said, continuing to pick at his fries. "She can't help it."

It was hard for her to not roll her eyes again. "Control that ego of yours," she chastised. "But I'm glad to have your approval, _dad_."

The small smile on Brendan's face turned into a grin. "Does that mean I can tell HNN not only am I dating a celebrity, but I'm the new dad of the Champion? Does that mean I get your dad's position?"

The joke was almost ruined by his last statement, and May scowled. Her father had, just a few days before she had finally spoken to Steven, called to let her know he was resigning from his position. There was now a gaping hole in the Gym Leaders that she was expected to fill, and soon, but she'd barely thought about it yet.

"Do you want it?" She asked, half joking and half serious. "Because you can take it, you know. Save me the trouble."

Her friend paused, and May held her breath while it looked like he was seriously considering it. "I'll think about it," he finally said, and May let the breath she'd been holding out. "Thanks for the consideration, _daughter_."

They locked eyes, silent for a moment, before they both burst into laughter. Even Nova from behind her chair chuckled a little at the ridiculousness.

Having friends, May had realized, was a lot nicer then she had ever thought it would be.

* * *

This time, when May went inside Steven's small house, they both sat down at the table.

It had been a few days since their last talk, and after May's crying and confession, she decided that she needed some more time to get herself in order; so they could talk properly. Steven, once again, had been understanding and appreciative of the chances she was giving him, and agreed, saying that she could stop by whenever she was ready.

"There's a few things I need to make clear," May started, meeting his eyes. "I don't like what you said to my father."

Instantly, Steven looked down at the table, heat coloring his face. "I apologize for that," he said, awkward. "I let my emotions get the better of me that day. I knew as soon as I said it that I was in the wrong; and I'm sorry for not mentioning it the other day."

Nodding, May exhaled. It was nice, she thought, to feel so respected. When she had become Champion, obviously she had garnered respect in the sense that she was the strongest Trainer in the region, but social respect was something completely different. And even _despite _being the strongest Trainer in Hoenn, some people didn't respect her – her father being the biggest offender.

"Okay," she said, rolling her shoulders a little. "Thank you. The other thing is I need you to promise me something."

He paused, contemplative, but nodded. "I can try."

"Promise me you won't just run off again, even if things are hard." This was the condition that she'd been thinking about for days – if he agreed to this, to proper communication, they would be alright, May had decided. "Just… talk to me. Keep me on the same page as you. I'm sick of being left in the dark."

"I can never apologize enough, for my actions," Steven winced as he spoke. "I may not regret taking my leave, but I will regret how I went about it for a long time to come. I am terrible at promises, but I can tell you that I will do my best to never leave you in the dark like that again."

Pushing herself out of her chair, she flung herself towards Steven, for the third time in as many meetings. The way his arms wrapped around her was already beginning to feel natural. May closed her eyes, letting herself be comfortable in his arms.

For so long, she had wanted this. Since their meeting in Granite Cave, since she had tried to convince herself that she hated the man she was holding even as she continued to dream about him, in cold rains and dark skies, she had wanted this. She didn't need anything fancy – she didn't need him to be perfect, didn't need everything to always go well no matter what happened. Conflict, unpleasant emotions, she could deal with them all.

All she had wanted, for three years, now, was this.

Even if neither of them knew how to navigate a relationship. Even if neither of them knew how to properly express physical affection, or act in public, or go on dates. May didn't need flowery words of love. She didn't need gifts, or anything of the sort.

"I love you," she whispered, and he pulled her closer. "I love you."

"I love you, too. I'm sorry it took me so long."

* * *

It was a bit crazy, May decided one day, hanging out on the beaches of Mossdeep, that they had fallen in love at all. When they had first met, she had been such an angry person. An angry person who had no care for how she treated other people whatsoever. An angry person who, despite not caring about anyone else but herself and her Pokemon, dreamt about a person who she barely knew; dreams that were too real to have just been weird dreams.

And of course, there was Steven. Steven, the former heir of Devon Corp. Steven, the former Hoenn Champion. Steven, someone kind to everyone, and polite to a fault.

Yet here they were, sitting on the beach, just enjoying each other's company as their Pokemon relaxed in the sand. She had introduced both Metagrosses she had gotten from him to her boyfriend – she still stumbled over the word, even when she thought it – properly, and he had been delighted that she had raised not one, but two of his favorite Pokemon.

The second, normal colored Metagross wasn't a part of her main team, but she loved it all the same, and had taken care raising it in the two years that Steven had been gone. She had wanted to give it back to Steven, originally, but found that she had become quite attached to it.

May supposed it didn't really matter, now, anyways. They could see each other whenever they wanted.

Three years ago, when she was first packing to move to Hoenn, May would've never even considered this kind of outcome. She no longer spoke to her family, she was the strongest Trainer Hoenn had ever seen, had defeated not one, but two legendary Pokemon – had _captured _two of them – and had finally learned to be comfortable around people again. She might never get back those angry years in Johto, or the months and months she spent in Hoenn tired and depressed after facing down Kyogre, but that was alright with her.

Finally, she felt like she had done enough.

"What are you thinking about?" Steven asked, moving his hand on top of hers. As if on instinct, May flipped her own around to lace their fingers together. "Anything important?"

Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "No, nothing really," she said, looking out at the sea. It had taken a long time, but she was comfortable being around it again. No longer did she need to hold onto her PokeBalls to remind herself they were safe. No longer did she fear what laid below the ocean. "Just thinking about how different things were back when I was in Johto."

Steven held back an undignified snort. "After hearing how things happened, I can't say I blame you for how you used to act," he told her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I must say, though," he continued, turning to face her a little more, "that after spending some time in Johto, I much prefer it here."

Often, Steven told her how glad he was that he had come back. After they had agreed to be together, he had told her of all his travels; and while she found she was slightly jealous of the many different places he had gone, he had said nothing had compared to Hoenn like he thought it would.

"_The variance in the land here_," he had told her, "_is just simply not there in other regions. Maybe in Alola, but I haven't been there, yet_."

"Would you like to go to Alola?" She asked, suddenly, thinking back on that conversation. "I want to travel, sometime. I want to see different places, so I can decide for myself that Hoenn is my favorite, like you have."

Steven squeezed her hand again, and she returned it. "You may be Champion, but you are entitled to a vacation every once in a while," he said with a smile. "If that's what you'd like, I am happy to oblige."

"I want to see everywhere," she told him, the familiar feeling of an adventure stirring in her veins. "I want to see how I compare to other Champions. I want to see new Pokemon again."

"Just say the word," he promised her. "We have all the time in the world, now."

In the back of May's mind, she remembered her old mantra when it came to Steven: _now is not the time_. She used to repeat it ad nauseam to herself, refusing to get ahead of herself when it came to her thoughts on the previous Champion.

Now, though, he was right. The time was now, finally.

And when she returned his smile, Steven thought it was as bright as the sun.

* * *

**Notes**

Epilogue to come in two weeks, on **June 30th**. Thank you so much for sticking with me on this adventure. From the bottom of my heart – thank you.


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"I'm ready to go, mom," Jade Stone called from the front door of her family's quaint house in Mossdeep, Beldum floating around her head excitedly. "Can you hurry up?"

May sighed at her impatient daughter, hiding a smile as she did. She couldn't blame her for being excited – she was finally starting her journey, after all. She was excited for her, as well. "I'm coming."

Over the years since she'd had Jade, May had strived to be the parent she'd wanted as a child. Neither she nor Steven really knew _how_, unfortunately, so it was an upward battle, but there were a few things they could agree they had done well with. One of them was letting their daughter be her own person.

It was likely hard, they knew, growing up in the shadow of a former Champion and one who had just recently decided to win _back _her title, but they tried. Neither of them were homebodies, wanting to travel and to be free, so the decision to finally have a child was a difficult one, but they had both wanted to do the best they could for their daughter.

"Did your father already leave?" May asked as she went to see her daughter in the front hall, looking around for her husband.

Jade nodded, not even looking bothered. "He made me breakfast before he did, though. And I already said goodbye to Nova."

It was a thoughtful gesture, and one she knew her daughter would appreciate, even though her father wouldn't be here to see her off. It wasn't a terrible surprise, though – despite encouraging her to start her journey as soon as she was ready, he'd secretly confided in May that he was nervous about it. It was so like him to not want to watch her leave, and May rolled her eyes at the thought.

And Nova, who had acted as Jade's babysitter many times over the years, of course was sad to see her go, but still understood. He, too, hadn't wanted to be there for her leaving, worried that he would ruin the day for her if he was too upset about it. May knew he would regret not seeing her off, but also understood that it was his choice. He wasn't far, anyways; just outside in the backyard, likely lounging around. In his older age he had gotten a bit lazier, but that was alright. He deserved to rest in between the rare Championship battles, anyways.

"Do you have everything, then?" She'd made sure to help Jade pack the night before, but it never hurt to ask, she supposed.

Jade stomped her foot impatiently, though. "Of _course_," she said, her Beldum mirroring her expression the best it could. "Can I go now?"

May couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time since she was a petulant child, but looking at her daughter – despite the fact that she resembled her husband more than herself, much to her chagrin – she couldn't help but be reminded of those days, before she had completely given up hope in Johto of ever leaving. Those days where she just wanted to be _free_, to be with Pokemon and out in the wild and experience what everyone else got to experience.

Reaching up, she gently tousled her daughter's silver hair, quickly moving her hand back as Jade swatted it away. "Yes, you can go. You're heading to Littleroot first, right?"

She had offered to fly her daughter to Brendan's place in Littleroot to get her "starter" Pokemon, though she already had Beldum, but Jade had declined, preferring to get there on her own by the boat system that Mossdeep now featured. _"I want to do everything on my own," _Jade had told her last week, when they'd first talked about it, and neither May or Steven had any objections with it.

They both knew how important freedom was.

"Yup," she said as she moved her hands through her hair, fixing it. Something jangled on her bracelet, though, and May eyed it warily.

"What did your father give you before he left?" May asked, knowing it was probably something ridiculous. Just as Steven used to spoil her over the course of her journey – and still did, if she were to be honest with herself – he loved to spoil their only child.

Brightening, Jade pushed her wrist in front of her mother. "A Key Stone!" She exclaimed, any pretense of needing to leave immediately vanishing into thin air. "Isn't that awesome! I can't believe he found me one!"

_Of course_, May thought, fighting back a groan. Despite their misgivings with Infinity Energy, neither she nor Steven could give up using Mega Evolution in battle. It was too intimate, too personal, and gave too much of a power boost to their Pokemon to even consider it. Even so, it was a hard choice, knowing that Steven's father was harvesting their energy to power random electronics, or even at times possibly something more sinister. It's one of the reasons May had felt so uncomfortable stepping out of the Champion's seat; why she had recently fought to get it back. As Champion, she had the power to know everything that went on in Devon. As previous Champion, not so much.

"That certainly is something," May said, fighting to keep any misgivings out of her voice. "Did he give you anything else that I should know about?"

"Nope," Jade said, popping the _p_. "He said I'd have to find the stones on my own." She sounded a bit put off, but May knew the look in her daughter's eyes. Sometimes she wondered how she had ended up so much like her husband when _she _was the one who carried her for months and months.

"Yeah, that sounds like your father." May blew out a puff of air, giving her daughter a smile again. "I'll be waiting for you to try and take my title, okay?"

"You better be training hard in the meantime, mom," Jade told her, moving her hands to her hips. "I'll definitely beat you." Beldum buzzed in excitement next to her; mirroring its partner as usual.

Laughing, May resisted the urge to mess up her daughter's hair again. "I'll be looking forward to it, Jade."

* * *

"How did this morning go?" Steven asked once he'd closed the door behind him, voice barely reaching May in the kitchen over the sound of her Pokemon finishing their lunch.

She rolled her eyes, raising a hand in greeting. "I don't know if I should tell you, seeing as how neither you _or _Nova had the guts to see her off."

"I made her breakfast," came his almost meek reply as he sat down next to her at the table. "Besides, I got her a gift. I think that makes up for it, even if just a little."

"I noticed that," she said, laughing a little despite herself. "You're awful."

"I prefer incorrigible, personally," he told her, relaxing himself into his chair. "But regardless, I did apologize properly, which she accepted."

Nodding, May leaned into him a little, not wanting to get up and put the bowls from her Pokemon in the dishwasher just yet. "It went fine. She was eager to leave, as was Beldum."

Like Nova, her daughter's Beldum had never taken to being in a PokeBall for long periods of time; preferring to be out and about with its Trainer. The Pokemon itself had been a gift from Steven for her fifth birthday, something both he and May had agreed upon much earlier. Jade had fallen in love so easily with both of their Metagross, it seemed like the only choice. May, especially, had wanted to give her a Pokemon early – especially after hearing how Jade didn't really fit in at school.

They both stayed quiet for a moment after that, thinking. It was hard, knowing their daughter was finally going out into the world to make a name for herself. She had turned twelve almost five months ago, now, but had decided to wait until she felt ready. It was only two weeks ago that she had decided on a date. It still didn't quite feel real to the both of them.

It was odd, how quickly they had both adapted to having a child around, even though they'd spent almost ten years with just the two of them. At only forty, it felt almost too early to be alone with her husband and their Pokemon once more; to have to adapt back.

However, a dull fire in May's heart burned the longer the day went on. She had long since moved past the issues she had faced regarding her parents, and had learned to live a life she enjoyed – partially thanks to the man her head was resting against – but there were certain times she would get the occasional reminder that things weren't always this easy. Watching her daughter go off at twelve, feeling deep in her bones how difficult it was but how _happy _she was for Jade despite that, reminded her of her own plight as a child.

There were many times over the last twenty years that May had considered rebuilding a relationship with her parents, or at the very least, letting them be a part of Jade's life if she had wanted them to be. When she was pregnant, especially, she had agonized over it with Steven, unsure of what was best for her and what was best for their unborn child, and if those things lined up at all.

In the end, though, May had never really made a full decision. Jade had met them twice, but wasn't terribly interested in meeting them often, which was completely fine by May. Her father hadn't even shown up to her wedding, after all – Drake had been the one to lead her down the aisle that day. Her mother had reached out to her a few times over the years, and they had a few tense and awkward coffee breaks together, but it was hardly what one would call a relationship.

Today, though, she almost wished she hadn't ever given them the time of day again. It was difficult to let Jade go, yes, but May wouldn't have ever dreamed of stopping her. She wasn't sure that she would've been able to entertain the thought even without her past experiences as a child. It was something that all people deserved to do in this world, that all had the option to do. The fact that both her parents had justified keeping her trapped at home for years and years grated on her even still, even thirty years later.

It was a dull ache, now, though; no longer the burning it used to be when she had first left.

Ever perceptive to her shifts in moods, Steven brought a hand up to stroke her hair lightly. "It's alright to still be angry with them, you know."

"I know," May agreed, pushing herself into him a little more; a habit that had formed when they had first began dating so long ago. "Thank you."

* * *

"Do you think she got to the Odale Pokemon Center okay for the night?" Steven asked that night as they got ready for bed, both of them still feeling out of sorts. They had fallen into a routine over the last twelve years, and it would likely feel a bit off for weeks to come now that Jade had left on her journey.

"I'm sure," May told him, already settling herself into bed. March in Hoenn wasn't as terribly humid as the other months, and she relished in the fact that she could still use a thicker blanket for the time being. "I think you worry too much."

"I'm well aware," he said, laughing a little. "Maybe I do. You are generally correct about these things."

"I do know you pretty well," she mused, stretching herself out a little before Steven got into bed. "But really, we both made it through our journeys, didn't we?"

She could feel Steven's eyes on her from across the room as he methodically took off all his jewelry. "Yes," he replied, "but _you_ also went through two nearly world-ending disasters. I don't exactly count that as a good thing, you know."

May rolled his eyes good naturedly. "I did save the world both times, though," she said. "I think I came out alright."

He didn't even dignify that with a response. They were both worried, and try as hard as she'd like to not act like it, Steven knew that well. It was hard not to be – though her journey had been the single most life changing experience she'd ever had, it had also traumatized her. There were still nights where the heavy rains that came with the summers of Hoenn set her into a panic. It had gotten better, much more manageable over the years, yes, but she doubted that it would ever go away entirely.

If there was anything she didn't want for her daughter, it was that. However, May also knew that just like she did, her daughter would have to make those calls herself, if there was ever a need for it. As Champion, May would do her best to ensure that there wouldn't be, but some things, she knew, weren't that simple. Jade was only twelve, while May had been seventeen at the start of her own journey. It was only a five year difference, but those five years, May thought now, made all the difference in the world back then.

"We just have to remember we've given her all the tools we could've," May reminded Steven, moving over so he could get into bed as well. "And hope for the best."

"She's a smart girl," Steven said after a moment. "As worried as I am, I believe she will do great things out there. Maybe even give her mother a run for her money."

May laughed at that, full and loud in the quiet of their home. "We'll see about that." She _was _the most famous Champion Hoenn had ever had, after all. It wasn't a title she cared about much, but if her daughter managed to outshine her…

Well, the only thing May could hope for is that it was accomplished without mortal peril. In all honesty, she did hope her daughter would grow strong enough to beat her. If that was her dream, she wanted Jade to accomplish it. She had spent years thinking about the same thing as a child, as most kids did, anyways. It was only natural.

"Goodnight, May," Steven said after a moment, breaking the lull that had formed. "I love you."

In the dark, she reached for his hand, finding it easily. Like second nature, their fingers intertwined, and May smiled to herself. "I love you, too. Goodnight."

They had another new chapter to explore together, now. Maybe they would travel again, like in the old days – they'd went to many different regions, back then, but there were a few they never got around to. Galar and Orre came to her mind. There was so much for them to do, still, somehow, and the thought filled May's heart to the brim.

Still holding hands, they drifted off to sleep, and not for the first time, May eagerly awaited what the next day would bring them.

* * *

**Notes**

Thank you so much. This is going to be a long author's note, I'm sorry, aha. It _is _the last one, after all!

Thank you to every single person who has ever read this fic. Even if you didn't love it, or stopped reading it, though you'll never see this, I mean this from the bottom of my heart: thank you. Thank you for giving it a try, thank you to those who stuck around since March to read this journey. Thank you to everyone who has taken time out of their day to give this fic a chance. This fic, as I mentioned in the first chapter, is something I've worked on for four years now, off and on. And on top of that, this year has been... hellish. I won't go into much detail, but I've mentioned vaguely in previous author's notes that something horrible happened in March, very soon after starting to publish this fic. This was something I used to ground myself; I used it as a crutch on the really hard weeks, to be honest. As a reason to keep writing and keep myself from going totally dark on people. So it has a lot of meaning to me, aha. The fact that there are people that have enjoyed this makes my heart sing. So genuinely, thank you so much.

That said, I have had this epilogue planned since I first started writing the fic. I have fankids for all of my major Pokemon ships, and Jade is a character I've fleshed out a lot since 2014 in my head. It was nice to finally write about her, even if just a little, haha. She's a good girl, and maybe I'll write about her again someday. I hope you like her, from the brief meeting you have here.

I hinted at it in the last chapter, but my next big Pokemon fic will be set in Alola, featuring Gladion x Moon (who I refer to by her Japanese name, Mizuki). I have about 17k written at the moment, so I plan to have the first chapter up by November. If you like that ship at all, I hope you'll give it a chance!

Thank you all again for reading this. I hope you enjoyed. See y'all next time.


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